


What's Done Is Done

by Elfflame



Series: What's Done Is Done [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Bottom Draco, M/M, Mpreg, Romance, Top Harry, Veela
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-07-20
Updated: 2005-07-26
Packaged: 2017-10-18 15:42:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/190442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elfflame/pseuds/Elfflame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Malfoy family has many secrets.  But how many will come to light when Draco acts on his wish to claim Harry Potter for his Mate?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my final pre-HBP canon fic. Even if I do try to work with some of the other story ideas I had, I will still be adding at least some of the new canon to them. This has gone unchanged, despite the addition of a new canon name for Lucius’s father, and also the definitive ages of the Black sisters. The facts I decided on for my story were already woven into the plot by the time I read HBP, and would change some aspects of the story a bit too much. So, as it is, there are absolutely no HBP spoilers to be found in this fic.  
> This is my take on the Malfoy Veela. I tried to make the idea my own, and to be honest, the Veela bit is only a minor part of the true story. If those sorts of stories annoy you, please avoid rather than feeling you have to flame me. And a final warning: this story involves MPreg. I will not apologize for that, as I quite like the idea, but if you don’t, you probably won’t enjoy this fic. The MPreg details are vague, as they are not the true purpose of the plot, but they are there, and I know there are many who do not like that sort of thing. If you read my story, _Snapshots_ , and the MPreg in that didn’t bother you, you should be okay with this, otherwise, this is probably not for you.  
> Thank you to so many people who helped me with this story. The first is Foodie, who read large chunks of this story for character purposes, and is always a doll when it comes to encouraging me to write. The second is to Dark Angel, who was particularly a major influence on the Lucius in this story. Without her, this Lucius would have been much wimpier. And the final thank you goes to my lovely Turtle Avenger, who tells me that she’d read the phone book if I wrote it. :D Love you, hon.  
> 

  
**1 ~ The Beginning**   
  


Lord Voldemort was truly gone at last.The forces of light had won.The parties had gone on for nearly a week.Next week, the funerals would begin, but for now, the Wizarding World would celebrate the fall of the Dark Lord.

The party at Malfoy Manor was one of the most exclusive of the parties to celebrate his fall, second only to the soirée that had been thrown by the new headmistress at Hogwarts for the surviving students and their families.Lucius Malfoy, long believed to be the Dark Lord's greatest supporter, had suddenly switched sides in the final battle that had taken place on the grounds of his son's school.Many speculated on why he had done so.Some believed that his son had been threatened by the Dark Lord, and since, to a Malfoy, family was everything, he had turned on his master to save the boy.Others swore that Lucius had been spying for Dumbledore all along, and that the animosity between the two men had always been an act.But whatever the reason, the Malfoys had come out of the war smelling of roses once more.

All of the surviving heroes of the war had been invited to the Manor, along with the cream of society, and even a handful of reporters, who would have exclusive rights to the story.Snape strutted about the place, showing everyone who would look his Order of Merlin, First Class, and telling them how he had been the one to drag the Great Harry Potter from the Dark Lord's smoldering corpse shortly before it had exploded.Remus Lupin stood near the fireplace, watching him fondly as he moved from group to group, every so often catching his gaze and winking, at which Snape would pale, then turn and move in the opposite direction as fast as possible.

Seamus Finnegan and Dean Tomas were standing near the punchbowl, along with Hannah Abbot and Ernie MacMillan.They were a jovial lot, their amusement obviously helped on by the alcohol that Seamus kept pouring into the bowl at random intervals.Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood had wandered off some time before, to Susan Bones's distress, which had lasted right up until the moment Justin Finch-Fletchly took her arm and lead her to the gardens.Padma and Parvati Patil, along with their best friends Morag MacDougall and Lavender Brown, had latched onto the arms of several of their male classmates, and steered them onto the dance floor, where they had remained for most of the night.The Weasleys, along with Hermione Granger, now Ron Weasley's fiancée, stood in a large clump together, looking rather uncomfortable in brand new dress robes, and talking only with those who approached them.

The Great Harry Potter, on the other hand, seemed quite comfortable schmoozing among the crowd of friends and well-wishers.Even at Malfoy Manor.His smile seemed quite genuine, and as Draco Malfoy watched him work his way across the room, he could feel his heart flip each time Harry laughed.He wanted that laugh all to himself.

Though they were still far from friends, Draco and Harry had spent a great deal of time together in the last few months while they had prepared to fight Voldemort.And Draco had enjoyed every minute of it.There had even been a particular evening shortly before the end where the two had commiserated over the fact that they would be unable to finish their Quidditch rivalry completely, as all Quidditch that year had been cancelled due to the fact that attacks had increased, and many had happened in Hogsmeade itself.The two had speculated about who might have won, each, of course, backing his own house, and his own skills.But it had been a surprisingly friendly debate.Draco had almost begun to forget that they had ever been enemies that night.

The truth was, now that everything was over, Draco was loath to share him with this crowd.He wanted Harry to himself.Surely his admirers and clingers-on had had enough of him by now.Surely Draco was allowed a few minutes of his own with the boy wonder.

Harry was not the only one schmoozing, though.Lucius had approached Draco several times over the night with people for him to meet.However, Draco was easily distracted by that laugh each time he heard it.He had heard it little enough in the last year.Draco's conversations with those his father introduced him to never lasted much beyond a few sentences before his attention was dragged back to the Hero of the Wizarding World.

Lucius had raised Draco to believe that he would eventually receive the Dark Mark.It had been such a basic belief in his life that he had been surprised at his father's words the night before his final year at Hogwarts.“Listen to Severus.He will keep you safe.And once the others are called, stay inside the school at all times.I don't want you taking risks, Draco.Do you understand?”

Draco had nodded, uncertain why he would remain unmarked, but, as always, following his father's orders to the letter.So, when the time had arrived and the others began to leave the night of the Halloween feast, Crabbe and Goyle turned to him waiting for him to make his move, and when he did not leave, they stayed as well.By the next morning, most of the Slytherin girls in the upper years had left as well.And so Draco, Crabbe and Goyle, along with Pansy were all that remained of their year.It was a sobering thought.Even the lower years were severely decimated.

Because of this, Draco had been spending a great deal of time with his few remaining housemates.Particularly tonight.Pansy had been especially aggressive in trying to get his attention since their “defection,” and tonight Draco had had to duck out of the room several times to avoid her before finally sending Crabbe to go and dance with her.

When Harry finally approached Draco, that lovely green gaze directed only at him made him feel faint.This was what he had been waiting for all night.Doing his best to regain his composure, Draco stood straighter and waved Goyle away before turning to speak to Harry.“Enjoying the adulation, Potter?” he smirked, trying to distract himself from the feelings Harry's presence caused.

“I see my charms have already worn off you, Draco.Last week at this time, I couldn't turn around without bumping into you.Jealous much?”

It was true that Draco had often found himself gravitating towards the Gryffindor in the past several months as they prepared for the Death Eater siege, but damned if he was going to let on that it had been anything more than inadvertent.“Jealous?Of all this?You must be joking.I've attended parties far bigger than this many times in my life.And a few of those were in my honour.What would I have to be jealous about?”

Harry simply smiled.“Oh, I don't know, Draco.You always seemed to be upset about something when we were in school.But maybe that was just my imagination?”

Draco's eyes narrowed.“You're delusional, Potter.”

“Am I?”Harry moved closer to Draco, nearly brushing their sides together as he moved to stand next to him so that he was looking out at the dance floor.“Too bad.You know, there were times this past year when you seemed almost nice.What happened to that Draco?I would have liked to get to know him better.”

Draco looked at him out of the corner of his eye.As difficult as it was, he had to control himself.This didn't necessarily mean what he wanted it to.“He doesn't come out in public.It's not a very Malfoy trait to be…civil.”

“Even to Heroes?”

Draco snorted.“Particularly to Heroes.Wouldn't do to be shown up, you know.”He raised his chin and watched as Terry Boot guided Parvati through a particularly difficult turn out on the floor.

Draco might have been able to hold his disinterested poise had Harry not then leaned towards his ear and whispered, “So, what if I wanted to meet that Draco again, hm?How would I go about that, Draco?” The name rolled off his tongue like the smoothest silk.

A shiver slid down Draco's back, and he turned to look into those green eyes.He tried desperately to keep hold of his composure.“Won't your little fan-club miss you?” he twitched his head in the direction of the Weasleys, who were now talking quietly with Remus near the fireplace.

Harry didn't even glance in their direction.“They're fine.They don't need me.Is there someplace we could go?Maybe talk?”

That was the last straw.He'd been holding back for far too long.Not a year had gone by since second year that he hadn't wanted to hear those words.All control was lost.He grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him from the room.They sped through the hallway, guests' eyes following as they passed.They went up several staircases, and down a long hallway before Draco found himself at the door to his room.“Bet you've always wanted to see this, Potter, hm?My inner sanctum?”

Harry smiled, and his eyes glowed.Draco paused for a second to catch his breath at the sight.Finally, he opened the door and ushered Harry in, and watched as Harry walked into the room, stunned.“Wow.”

Draco hadn't truly imagined what effect seeing the boy in his room would have on his own body.He took a deep breath to control himself.Just a few more minutes.He turned quickly and shut the door behind him, murmuring a few charms to keep away any unwanted distractions, then turned back and watched as Harry wandered about the room.Harry's fingers ran across the top of his dresser, then stood back to admire the great armoire next to it.“You live like this all the time, Malfoy?I can't imagine living with all this luxury…”

Heart in his throat, he moved to Harry's side.“That's because you're not looking in the right places, Harry,” he whispered as he leaned over his shoulder.

Harry, turned to look at him, and he seemed surprised.“What?”

“The thing you really need to see, the thing that makes this room worthwhile,” Draco said as he pulled him across the room, “Is my bed.”Draco loved his bed.He spent much of his time at home when he was alone sitting in it.Reading, doing homework, writing in his journal.It all happened in his bed.And now…

Harry's eyes widened as they past the divider hiding Draco's sleeping area from the rest of the room, and approached the most magnificent bed he had ever seen.“Damn, Draco, I knew you were spoiled, but jeez!”Harry looked at the monstrosity in front of him, dark wood posts covered in carvings of dragons of every shape and size, huge panels of silver and green cloth suspended above it, immense stacks of dark green pillows and the largest comforter he'd ever seen in his life, that looked like it would have covered the entire floor of his dorm at Hogwarts.

Draco smiled to himself.It was now or never.He might never get another chance.“Harry…”

“Hmm?”Harry was still gazing the bed, amazed.

Draco began to take off his robe, and threw it aside.Harry heard the rustle, and turned to look.Draco smiled as he continued to disrobe.

“Uh, Draco, what…” Harry said as he backed up, and found himself against the bed, tumbling onto it when it hit the back of his legs.He squeaked, and Draco's smile grew broader.

“Relax, Harry.I'm not going to hurt you.I just wanted to have a bit of fun before the Hero of the Wizarding World disappears into the sunset.”By now, he was totally naked, standing in front of Harry in all his glory.

“L…look, M…Draco, really, I…I don't…”

Draco began to crawl onto the bed next to him.“What, Harry?You don't swing 'that way?'Well, that's okay, I'll do all the work.You just lay back and enjoy.”

Draco watched Harry's Adam’s apple bob up and down as he gulped.He had to restrain himself from leaning forward and licking it.Wouldn't do to scare him off.“But…”

“But what, Harry?” Draco breathed into his ear.

“I…thought you hated me?”

“Do you really think that would stop me?”He sat up, pulling at Harry's tie as he did so.

Harry's eyes closed.He took a deep breath, as though letting something go.“Okay.”

Draco smiled.He settled onto Harry's lap, and removed his glasses.“You won't need these for this.”He placed them on his bedside table, then leaned into Harry's body, rubbing his naked skin against the cloth and feeling the planes of Harry's body fit against his own.“Oh, you feel so good, Harry…”Draco closed his eyes for a moment, just reveling in the feeling of being on Harry's lap and against his body.

When he opened his eyes, he was caught by Harry's gaze.He leaned forward, ran his lips along Harry's cheek, feeling the exhalation of air on his neck when Harry gasped at the contact.Unable to resist any longer, Draco pulled back and captured Harry's lips.They were so warm.So soft.And then they moved, opening beneath the tip of his tongue, and he plunged in, no longer aware of anything but Harry.The taste of Harry on his tongue, Harry's breath in his mouth, Harry's tongue battling with his, Harry's moans of pleasure as he rubbed against Draco, obviously enjoying the contact as well, the feel of Harry's skin beneath his fingers.They separated, both gasping for breath.

Harry looked at the boy in his arms.“Draco…”

Draco placed a long, slender finger against the lips he had ravaged only moments before.“Shhh.We can talk later.”He began to pull at Harry's robes, standing over Harry as he pulled them off over Harry's head.His jumper was next, and the shirt underneath.Had he really had to wear all these layers tonight?When he got to Harry's pants, his breath caught.He looked up at his lover, and received a simple nod.It was more than enough.He undid the pants slowly, as though unwrapping a present that he was anticipating, but was not quite ready for that anticipation to end.He slowly pulled them off, taking off Harry's shoes and socks before letting the pants fall to the floor completely, then straddled his now-naked lover, who was now laying back on the bed, gazing up at him.

Harry's breath was coming in soft gasps as Draco brushed his hands across his skin, and Draco felt he could melt just from the joy of it.But it wasn't enough.And tonight, he wanted everything.He rubbed his cock against Harry's, and they gasped together.Then he moved off Harry's lap and lowered his head to taste him.Long, leisurely licks, followed by short laps at the head.Harry jumped as he touched his tongue to it, swirling his tongue around the quickly swelling head, then moaned as Draco opened his mouth and swallowed him whole, sliding his lips up and down the rigid shaft, pulling it deeper and deeper into his mouth as he sucked.

After a moment, Draco pulled away, then sat up and licked his lips, looking down at Harry, who lay on the bed, eyes closed, still gasping from the sensations Draco had provided.Draco picked up his wand from where he had lain it before undressing, whispered a charm, then draped his body over Harry's once more, kneeling above him, one leg to either side of Harry's body, then pushing back and rubbing the head of Harry's now-lubricated shaft between his nether cheeks.“Look at me, Harry…”

Those green eyes opened, and Draco pushed back, feeling Harry slide inside him, aided by the lubrication charm he had just cast.He gasped, and Harry moaned, but they kept their eyes open, looking at each other as they lay locked together.Slowly, Draco began to move, sliding up and down Harry's shaft, gasping.

After a moment, he began to speak.“You feel so good in me, Harry.Do you feel me around you?”Harry was barely able to nod, but he bucked his hips towards Draco in response.Draco gasped, but smiled and leaned forward, then brushed his lips across Harry's ear and whispered, “Are you going to come for me?”Harry nodded, and then his arms wrapped around Draco, and his thrusts grew stronger, until Draco felt Harry spasm inside him.He felt the wave come, and looked into Harry's eyes as he came, gasping and moaning, those beautiful green eyes still meeting his, but glazed over now with lust and need.The last spasm sent Draco into his own spiral, and he soon came across Harry's belly and chest.Sated, he sprawled across his lover.“Thank you, Harry.”

Harry took a few deep breaths to calm himself.“Draco…”

“Hmm?” Draco murmured, sleepily.

“What…Why…what was this about?”


	2. The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Malfoy family has many secrets.  But how many will come to light when Draco acts on his wish to claim Harry Potter for his Mate?

**2 ~ Veela and Their Mates**

“Draco…”

“Hmm?” Draco murmured, sleepily.

“What…Why…what was this about? I…I thought you hated me.”

Draco sighed, and rolled away from Harry, cast a quick cleansing spell on both of them, then lifted the quilt, got underneath, and held the quilt for Harry to crawl in after him. He had hoped that this wouldn't end quite so quickly. But he owed Harry an explanation.

It took him a moment to sort out his thoughts as they cuddled together under the blanket, but finally he spoke. “I don't hate you, Harry. I never…hated you.” Harry's eyebrow raised. Draco smirked. “I was…jealous. You got all the attention. Stole my glory. Refused my friendship. No one's ever done that to me. It was infuriating.”

Harry mulled this over, a slight frown creasing his brow. “So, what? You had to…claim me to…fix that?”

Draco chuckled, and felt Harry shiver at the sound. “Hardly. That just explains why I acted the way I did in school. This was…something else entirely.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

Draco sighed. This was information he'd never shared with anyone at school. It made him…vulnerable. He took a deep breath. Harry deserved to know if anyone did. “I don't know if you ever heard the rumors at school about my family, Harry, but I'm part Veela.” Harry looked curious, but not startled. He'd obviously heard the rumors, but Draco could tell he wasn't sure what they had to do with…this. When he did not comment, Draco continued. “What do you know about half-Veela?”

Harry shrugged. “I assume they’re rather much like regular Veela.”

Draco shook his head. “Not really. We don’t have quite as much drawing power as full-blooded Veela. It’s more subtle with half-bloods. And we can’t control it, or use it as well as full bloods can. In fact, the less Veela blood, the less likely we can use the power.”

“And how much Veela blood do you have?” Harry asked curiously.

“Grandmother’s mother was a Veela. I’m not even quite sure what that makes me, to be honest. I can’t even use the attraction powers. At least father could a bit.”

“Your father?” Harry looked surprised at this. “I…I’d assumed the Veela blood came from your mother’s side.”

Draco laughed. “Oh, no, the Blacks are much more pureblooded than the Malfoys. They would never have allowed any of their children to marry such a ‘creature.’ Good thing we Malfoys keep secrets so well,” he smiled.

Harry thought about this for a moment, then looked back at Draco. “So, if you can’t control your powers, what does it matter that you’re a Veela?”

Draco smiled. “Just because I don’t have that ability, doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect me in other ways. I don’t know if you know anything much about Veela and their mates, but, well, we're rather monogamous in our relationships.”

He could see Harry was trying not to laugh. “Monogamous? But, Draco, you were with at least half the school in the past year, according to the rumors.”

Draco smiled. “Not just rumors. I did have to know I was getting what I wanted, after all. When I say monogamous, I mean that once we've bonded to our chosen mate, we have no wish to be with anyone else.”

Harry gazed intently at Draco for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was low, and Draco wasn't sure if he was holding back because he was angry, or because he was scared, or because of a third emotion that seemed too unlikely to hope for. “And which am I, Draco? A fling? Or a potential mate?”

Draco swallowed. He couldn't look away from those eyes, no matter how scared he was at this moment. “A…mate,” he whispered, his heart in his throat.

Harry was pulled back, eyes wide. “Are you sure? Why? I…You hate me!”

“I never hated you, Harry. I told you. I despised you, for a bit, because you chose Weasley over me, and because you got all the attention, but I still wanted to be your friend. And it pissed me off royally because you didn't seem to want the same. I never bend, Harry, and you made me practically fold in half!”

“Did I?” Harry smiled.

Draco narrowed his eyes. “No one can get a reaction out of me like you can. But I was content to piss you off forever, and then you went and killed any chance I had of hating you…”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” Draco smirked. “You spoke Parseltongue. Second year?” He watched as Harry's eyes glowed with the memory. “I wanted to scare you with that snake, and instead, you controlled it. It was the sexiest thing I'd ever heard.” He leaned towards Harry, his lips just brushing his earlobe. “And I've wanted you ever since,” he whispered.

“So, I've been a potential mate for you since you were twelve?” Harry asked, incredulously, looking over at Draco.

Draco grinned. “Yes, well, I've always been a bit precocious.”

Harry smiled uncertainly. After a moment of thought, he looked at Draco curiously. “So, now what?”

Draco's heart thundered at the question. He'd always assumed that if he'd got this far, that Harry would thank him for the good time, then walk away forever. He'd never allowed himself to imagine that Harry would still be here, holding him. “You…you want to stay?”

Harry laughed softly. “Draco, do you honestly think I'd allow you to do this if I wasn't interested, or that I'd walk away after? I might have nearly been sorted into Slytherin, but I'm not that cold-blooded.”

Draco couldn't breathe. “You…in Slytherin?” He could feel his body flush with the idea. If they'd been in the same house…would he have waited this long? Could he have?

“Yeah, the hat wanted to put me there, but really, I could have gone anywhere I wanted.”

Draco tried desperately to control his breathing. The images that played through his head…cuddling together that first night, homesick and afraid; Harry confiding to Draco that he was a Parselmouth; their first sexual discoveries together; finally admitting to each other that they had feelings for one another…but those were just fantasies, and Harry was here, really here, in his bed. And he wanted to be. “I thought you were straight.”

“Yeah, well, when you get the kind of press I do, you try especially hard to be discreet. Besides, I'm not gay, either. I'm just attracted to whom I'm attracted to.” Those green eyes were on him again.

Draco swallowed. Did he mean? “You…but…how? When?”

Harry reached a hand to Draco's face and brushed a strand of hair from his eyes. “I can't say exactly. I certainly hated you with a passion. You made that pretty easy. But this past year…I dunno. I think if I hadn't seen you with so many of the guys around school, I might have given you a try. You're not unattractive. And…you made me feel.” Those green eyes glowed again.

Draco gulped. “Feel?”

Harry's expression turned bitter, and Draco pulled him closer, knowing that he was lost in memories of the past few months. “Yeah. It was kind of hard to feel anything, knowing I was going to die soon, but you…always you…no matter how I was feeling, you got a reaction out of me.” He looked bemusedly at Draco.

“And now?”

“And now…” Harry grinned, “I just want to know what's next. You say that once you're bonded you don't have other partners? How do we do that?” Those arms around him made Draco feel as though he were floating. And the words…

But he had to slow things down. No matter how much he wanted this. He shook his head to clear it. “It's not that simple. Harry, I've known what I've wanted for years. I…I almost acted on it in the last month. Several times. But I didn't want to push. You already had so much to deal with, I didn't want to add another problem.”

“Problem? Draco, this isn't a problem, it's…heaven. If I'd gone off to face Voldemort after this, I probably would have defeated him in five seconds!”

Draco wanted to smile at that, but this was too serious. And Harry had to know that. “Harry, believe me, this is not something to laugh at. Once we've bonded, there will be consequences. It's not something I want you to jump into lightly. And you certainly had enough of those kinds of things to deal with last month, okay? Honestly, I never thought…I thought you'd enjoy it, maybe, then tell me to bug off. You know? 'Thanks but no thanks.'“

“You may like me, Draco, but you sure don't know me. I don't do 'casual fucks.'“

Draco narrowed his eyes. “Oh, Potter? And exactly how many relationships have you had?”

“Two. And no, I won't tell you who with. Because they don't matter. I'm here with you, not them.”

After thinking about that for a moment, Draco nodded. After all, he was certainly no one to talk. “I can respect that. Can I at least ask boy or girl?”

Harry smirked. “One girl, one boy, in that order. Now tell me-what next? Or are you just trying to drag this out so that you don't have to tell me?”

Draco took a deep breath. “Well, as much as I'm loath to let you go…” Harry's arms encircled him. “Stop that, or I won't be able…” Draco pushed him to arm's length again. “It's not that I don't want you here now, but you can't decide while you're in bed here with me. The…my pheromones won't let you. They’ll convince you to feel whatever I want you to feel.” Draco blushed. “You need to go think this through, Harry. This isn't a marriage. It's a lot more permanent. It means that you won't be able to leave me. Ever. That we'll die without each other. Veela and their mates usually die within a week of each other.”

Harry examined his face. He'd never seen Draco look so serious, so worried. He certainly never wanted to see him this way again. He wanted to see him smile instead. “Good. Because, honestly, Draco…” Draco, panicking, put his fingers on Harry's lips.

“No. I know you want to, but it's the pheromones talking. Look, why don't you go to the room that mother had prepared for you, and think this through, all right?”

Harry looked at Draco for a long moment, before nodding. “Okay, but only if you walk me there. I'm not quite…ready to let go of you yet.” He grinned, and Draco couldn't help but smile. “Besides, I'm not sure I'd be able to find that room again, all by myself.”

Draco chuckled. “Of course.” He slipped out of the bed and began to pull on his clothes, but was unsurprised when a still very naked Harry wrapped his arms around him from behind.

“Draco…”

Draco turned in his arms and placed his finger on Harry's lips. “Tomorrow. Anything you want, all right?”

Harry took a deep breath, kissed him, then nodded and pulled away. “All right.” Draco watched as Harry's beautiful form disappeared once more underneath several layers of clothing, then sighed and finished pulling on his robe.

Together the two walked silently down the hall towards the visitor's wing at the East end of the estate. “I can't believe you live in this place, Draco. It's…unreal.”

Draco snorted. “I can't believe you lived with Muggles your entire life. We're even.”

“Believe me, it was far from this pleasant.”

Draco grinned. “I'm sure of that, Potter.”

“Potter?”

Draco's grin widened. “It's your name, isn't it?”

Harry snorted. “I suppose it is at that, Malfoy.”

Upon reaching the room Draco's mother had set up for Harry, Draco turned away to go back to his room, but Harry pulled him back. “Don't I even get a good-night kiss?”

“Harry…”

“Just one, then I promise I'll go into my room and not come out till I've decided, okay?”

As much as Draco wanted to, he simply couldn't glare at him about this. “Fine. But just one.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips against Harry's, thinking that would be the end of it, but Harry's arms wrapped around him, and soon the kiss had gone beyond 'good-bye' and was rapidly approaching 'maybe I can't wait until morning.' Draco pulled away. “Harry…”

He grinned unrepentantly. “I know, I know. Good night, Draco.”

“Good night, Harry.” He turned and moved down the hall before he did something he knew he would regret, like joining Harry in his room.

Halfway back to his own room, Draco ran into Weasley and Granger, who were still looking quite out of place. When Weasley saw Draco, he moved to intercept him. “Malfoy. What did you do with Harry? Where is he? I saw you disappear together at least an hour ago.”

“He simply wanted to know where his room was. So I escorted him there. If you'll excuse me, it's been a very long night…”

“Where is he, Malfoy?” Weasley growled, pushing him towards the wall menacingly.

Granger came to Draco's assistance. “Ron! Leave him alone. He already answered you. We have a place to look, let's just go there, and if he's not there, then you can come back and fight with Malfoy if need be.”

Weasley backed off at this, but Draco was quick to keep them from moving down the hall. “I wouldn't bother him, Granger. He's taken a sleeping draught. He was exhausted. He's fine, I promise. You'll see him in the morning.”

“And why should we believe you, Malfoy?” she asked primly.

“Because, Granger, if the hero of the Wizarding World disappears at Malfoy Manor, who exactly do you think will be blamed? He's fine. Leave him alone. All right?”

She frowned at him for a moment, then nodded. “Fine. But if I don't see him tomorrow…”

“Yes, yes, you'll exact your vengeance upon me…whatever.” Then he turned his back on the couple and continued on towards his room. The rest of the trip was quiet, until he reached his door. Where Snape stood, waiting for him. “Professor,” he greeted him, moving past him to open the door.

Snape's eyes narrowed. “Draco…what are you playing at?”

Draco turned back to his former professor. “Playing, sir? I don't know what you mean.”

“Don't use that innocent look on me, Draco. I know it's just a ploy. Half the guests tonight saw you dragging Potter upstairs. Are you sure you should be playing this type of game with him?”

Draco's eyes went steely. “I'm not playing games, Severus. I'm deadly serious. And I've already told him everything.”

Snape's head snapped back, as though Draco had struck him, his eyes widened just a bit. “Everything, Draco?” Draco wasn't about to admit that there were still aspects Harry didn't know, so he kept silent. Snape's mouth thinned. “Does your father know?”

“It's none of Lucius's business who I choose.”

Snape grabbed his arm. “Draco, this is not funny. You know your father when he's been crossed. And you don't know what he might have planned for you…”

Draco pulled his arm out of Snape's grasp. “Well, he'll just have to make alterations to any plans he's made for me, because I have plans of my own, and now that there's a possibility…”

At this, Snape paled. “Tell me you didn't, boy!” Snape hissed.

Draco smirked. “I did. And it was fantastic. And, depending on how things go tomorrow, I intend to keep on doing it.” With that, he turned to the door, opened it, then shut it behind him quickly, before Snape could enter.

Now all that was left was the waiting. Draco could tell that it was going to be a very long night.

***

It was still dark outside when Draco woke with a start. Someone had entered his room. He sat up and reached out for his wand, but before he could retrieve it, a body joined him on the bed and wrapped his arms around Draco.

“I've decided. I don't need all night to do that. I want you, Draco.”

At Harry's words, Draco felt electricity begin to glide across his skin, particularly anywhere that Harry touched. He turned back to the silhouette that was Harry. “You shouldn't be here. There are things you don't understand yet, Harry. You need to take the time.”

“I've taken all the time I need Draco, I l…” Draco silenced him with a kiss, panic rising in him.

He drew away. “Harry…you don't understand…”

“I understand enough. I've been away from you for four hours. That's long enough to know for sure that you're what I want…”

Draco wanted to believe him, but knew this could be a horrible mistake if he just let Harry blunder into this as he did everything else. “I know you feel that way…but…”

Now Harry's fingers fell across Draco's lips. “No. I know what I want, Draco. And you're it. Possibly always have been, and I was just too angry with you to see it. But you're the only one who's ever been able to get me to react to anything you did. That's got to mean something.” He leaned forward, and Draco felt Harry's lips descend on his own. He was lost in a whirlwind of sensation, and when Harry backed away, his mind remained muddled. “I know it might seem like I haven't thought about it much, but you've always been there, Draco. I might have thought it was hate, but I think I was wrong. I think passion is passion, and it just takes whatever form you allow it to. If only I'd known how I felt sooner, Draco. I'd know that it was just love trying to find an outlet. But now I know. I love you.”

And with those words, Draco felt the electric charge surge from deep inside, and join with the electric charge writhing along his skin. The world vanished in a flash of light, and he fell unconscious.


	3. The Problems With Mating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Malfoy family has many secrets.  But how many will come to light when Draco acts on his wish to claim Harry Potter for his Mate?

  
  
**3 ~ The Problems With Mating**   
  


When Draco regained consciousness, the room was lit up, and two dark-haired faces leaned over him.“How long?” he whispered.His throat felt as though he had been screaming.

“Stupid child.Both of you.You deserve each other.”

“Shut up, Snape.”Harry held out a glass of water to Draco.“You okay now?”

Draco nodded, immediately regretting it as his head exploded in pain.

“What was that?” Harry asked.

“That,” Snape snarled, “Was the bond, you imbecile.You activated it.”

Harry turned to Draco, eyes wide.

“It's true.It's why I kept trying to stop you.”He heard Snape mumble something about brat Slytherins and overeager Gryffindors.“Leave it alone, Severus.He didn't do anything wrong.It's my fault.”

Snape shot him a sour look.“And give me one good reason that I shouldn't immediately go and tell your father about this, Draco.”

Draco sat up and took another sip of water before responding.“Because you know as well as I do that it won't change _anything_ that's already happened.”

Snape seethed for several minutes before replying.“Very well.But don't expect me to come to your aid when your father tries to deal with this, Draco.You and I both know he will, after all.”He turned to Harry.“I would ask Draco why he was so eager to sleep with you tonight if I were you, Potter.He's still not told you everything you need to know.”With that, he swept from the room.

The two looked at each other for several minutes before Draco spoke.“Ignore him.He's just upset he wasn't able to better manipulate things.And you aren't exactly the mate he wanted his godson to choose.”

“Godson?He's your godfather?”

Draco nodded, and was relieved to notice that the pain had already receded almost completely.

Harry climbed onto the bed and sat facing Draco.“What did he mean, Draco?”

Draco put on his most innocent expression.“What do you mean?Which time?Severus is a rather enigmatic person…”

Harry's eyes narrowed.“About how you haven't told me everything yet.I mean, if you'd just told me not to say it…”

Draco snorted.“You probably would have said it all the sooner.Too late to change it now, that's for sure.”

“And?”

“And what, Potter?”

Harry ground his teeth, then moved forward so that he was crouched over Draco.“And, what else haven't you told me yet?”

“Trying to intimidate me, Gryffindor?”

“Yes.Is it working?”

“Hardly.It's actually having the opposite effect.”He wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulders and pulled him down so that they were laid flush against each other, grinding up against him and sighing at the contact.Too bad the sheets were still in the way…

Harry bent his head down and kissed him lightly, then pulled away.“No more.Not until you come clean, Draco.”

Draco chuckled.“Well, then we'll probably be in here for quite a while.After all, I am a Slytherin.I thrive on secrets.Telling you all of them could take a couple of weeks, at least.”

Harry glared at him.“How about you just start with the information about Veela and their mates, and we'll take it from there?”

Draco eyed him warily.

“You're going to have to tell me sooner or later.I mean, we are bonded now, right?Or would you rather I went and asked Hermione?”

“That won't be necessary, Potter,” Draco scowled.“Damn Severus, anyway.I wanted to ease you into this, Harry.Instead, we're being thrown into it.”Draco swallowed and looked away from Harry for a moment.He took a deep breath.He was going to have to tell him sooner or later, after all.“All right.But no interruptions, okay?”Harry nodded, and leaned back against the baseboard of the bed.“I already told you a bit about Veela mating rituals, but the truth is, there's more to this than a simple choice.You telling me you loved me was the final step.”Harry's eyebrows rose, but he stayed silent.“First, a Veela must choose his or her mate, and decide if there is a bond worth pursuing there.This is really the least important part, and often happens in an instant really.Oftentimes, a Veela doesn’t even know they’ve chosen until the second part of the bond takes place.

“I suppose somewhere in my subconscious, I probably chose you the minute you walked into Madam Malkins that day.”He grinned at Harry, who grinned back, then shifted forward on the bed so that he was lying on his stomach, his chin resting on his hands.

“Anyway, after that, once the Veela has decided, it's just a matter of the two, the Veela and their mate, saying the proper words.”

Harry snorted.“I love you?”He looked bemused.“How does that cause the bond?”

Draco narrowed his eyes.“No questions till after, Potter.Anyway, it's not the words, it's the emotions behind them.Honestly, I'm amazed that some of our fights never triggered the bond while we were in school, really.There was so much feeling behind them.”

Harry's eyes widened.“That could have happened?”

Draco felt his cheeks heat.“Yes.In fact, it nearly did.All it would have taken was you saying the wrong words in my hearing, and we would have had this happen then,” he waved his hand at himself.

“Why?”

Draco grimaced.“I…didn't really realize I'd chosen.You speaking Parseltongue was just my favorite masturbatory fantasy.And then, one night in third year, I was…caught up in the moment, and…it just came spilling out.I started tingling all over.At the time, I had no idea what it was, so I went to Severus.That was a mistake.He was furious.He demanded to know who it was I'd been thinking about, but I refused to tell him.”He snickered.“Every time he saw me with someone, he'd call me into his office to ask me all sorts of questions.I knew he was just trying to figure out who it was, but I wasn't about to tell him.”He smiled at Harry.

Harry, though, was not smiling back.“You've wanted me to be your mate since you were thirteen?”

“I was nearly fourteen.”

“Thirteen?”

Draco's eyes narrowed.“Yes, Potter, thirteen, okay?”

“How…why did you wait?Why didn't you tell me?”

“Harry, calm down.It's all right.We're fine.”

Harry sat up and glared.“Oh, is that why you were unconscious for almost an hour?”

Draco blinked.“An hour?”He whistled.“I had no idea.It must have been the length of time between the two declarations.Someone will have to do a study on that someday.”Harry was still scowling at him.“Oh, calm down, Harry.I'm fine.”

“Is that everything?”

Draco scowled.He had been hoping Harry would assume that was the only thing he needed to know.“No.”

There was a long silence.“Well?Are you going to tell me, or am I going to go wake Hermione?”

Draco swallowed.He wasn't looking forward to this at all.He knew Harry would be furious.“The first time a Veela sleeps with their chosen mate, bonded or not, they become pregnant, or impregnate their partner.”

Harry laughed.“That's rich, Malfoy.You're a guy.Guys don't get pregnant.”

“Wrong.I'm a Veela.Veela males can be impregnated.And you were inside me, or don't you remember?”

Harry had gone white.He swallowed several times before managing finally to speak.“You're…you and I…we're…”

“Going to have a baby.”Draco looked away from him.This was harder than he'd thought it was going to be.“Harry, I'm honestly sorry.I really didn't let myself believe you would even be interested.And I certainly didn't expect to get this far this fast.But I wanted to make sure I had a piece of you before you vanished into the real world, even if you never knew.”

“You would have kept him from me?”Harry's eyes had gone dark.

“Harry, you have to understand, I thought it was all I would ever have of you.Just one night.And that I'd never…I just wanted something that was just mine, to remember a wonderful night.I didn't want you to feel pressured by everything to take care of him.And I was sure if I'd told you before we slept together that you would have refused entirely.”

Harry sat up and looked away across the room.“I probably would have.Refused.But not for the reasons you think, Draco.When we came in here tonight, yeah, I thought there was a possibility for sleeping with you.I was quite attracted to you.But if you'd said you'd get pregnant from the act, I would have had second thoughts.”He turned to look at Draco.“I thought I was just another in a long line, Draco.That you'd sleep with me and toss me aside.That's why I kept protesting.Not because I didn't want to.I certainly never would have agreed to bring any child into that.Would you have told me everything beforehand?”

Draco swallowed.“No.”

“Then you're right.I would have refused.I don't know whether to be angry or glad you did it, Draco.”

Draco's eyebrows rose.“Glad?” his voice squeaked on the word.

Harry laughed.“Well, all I've ever dreamed about was having a normal life.A wife, kids…Guess you're not much of a wife, but tonight, well…I never thought about the kids, really.I mean, I didn't even know it was a possibility.Can we have more?”

Draco laughed a little hysterically.“Well, it's not heavily researched.But I'm sure we'll figure something out.You're not mad?”

Harry crawled over to him and put his arms around his waist.“How could I possibly be mad when I've just gotten everything I've ever wanted?”

Draco couldn't help but grin.“Everything?”

Harry grinned and hissed something, sending shivers down Draco's spine.

“What was that?”

“Just 'I love you.'“

Draco pulled closer to him, burrowing his face into Harry's shoulder.“God.That was…”

Harry's laugh rumbled through his body, and Draco could feel the vibrations.“Yes, love?”

Draco pulled back, and looked up at Harry.“You can do that any time you want, okay?”

Harry laughed again.“I'll keep that in mind.”Draco snuggled back into his embrace.“So, is that everything?”

Draco shrugged.“Pretty much.”

“No other little secrets, like that you're engaged, or something?”

Draco wrinkled his nose.“God, I hope not.”

“Good.Then you're all mine.”

The two of them lay back and snuggled under the blanket together before falling into a deep and completely restful sleep.

***

They were woken early the next morning by Draco's door slamming open.“Draco Magnus Salazar Black Malfoy!What have you done?”

Draco sat up, wide-eyed, and looked at his father, who was rapidly approaching.He was just glad he and Harry hadn't indulged again last night…He took a breath and calmed himself before answering.“Good morning, father.Is something wrong?”

Lucius snarled down at his son, then glared at the young man who was attempting to feign sleep by his side.“I think you know precisely what is wrong, Draco.And I suggest you deal with it before I do.”

“Deal with it?You mean get rid of Harry?I don't think so.Things have gone a bit beyond that stage, or didn't Severus tell you that?”

Lucius paled.“Tell me you didn't,” he growled.

Draco grinned.“Oh, father, you _are_ behind the times, aren't you?Too little, too late.”

Lucius's nostrils flared, and he looked down at Draco and Harry for several moments before speaking again.“It seems we need to talk, Draco.Get dressed and come to my study.Alone.”

“There is nothing you can say that will change what has happened, father.”

“No, but there are things you don't understand, Draco.Obligations that might have stopped you from doing this had you known.Just come to my office, and we'll speak.”He turned away and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Harry opened an eye.“Draco Magnus what?”

Draco sighed.“Salazar Black Malfoy.My father was a bit full of himself when he named me.”

Harry snickered.“I can tell.”

“Is that a comment, Harry Potter?” Draco growled.

“It's not as bad as yours.At least my middle name's just James…”

“True.Just promise me when we name our son that you won't let father have any input into what we choose.”

Harry looked at him incredulously.“Why on earth would I even think of allowing that?”

Draco smiled and slid out of the bed.When Harry sat up to do the same, Draco shook his head.“Go back to sleep.I shouldn't be long.If father had been willing to talk in front of you, he would have done it here.When he says alone, he means it.I'll be back before you know it.”He pulled on a robe, then leaned over and kissed Harry quickly on the lips.“I'll see you soon.”

He left the room quickly.Whatever Lucius was on about, this wouldn't be good.And though Harry was basically part of the family now, there was no reason to expose him to this side of the family dynamic yet.He made his way down to the second floor and his father's study.The door stood open, so he entered, then closed the door behind himself.Lucius was standing looking out the window behind his desk.At the click of the door, he turned to Draco.His voice was low and carefully controlled when he began to speak.“I cannot believe you would be so stupid.This isn't something you can simply jump into, Draco.I am aware that hormones can get out of control, but allowing yourself to bond with that …”

“I don't think you get it, father.This isn’t something that can just be changed.It’s not something I want to change.You never bonded to mother, did you?You don't know how it feels.I've wanted him for years.Ask Severus.He knows.I won't let you destroy this.I finally have something that you can't take from me.Not without losing me as well.”

Lucius's face screwed up in rage.“You stupid boy!Did it ever occur to you that you might be promised to someone else?”Lucius's eyes flashed as he spoke, and Draco could see that he was obviously barely containing himself.Lucius's knuckles were whitening around the head of his cane.

Draco struggled to take in what his father had just suggested.“You didn't.You couldn't.I would know!”Draco was haunted by Harry's words from the night before.'No other little secrets, like that you're engaged, or something?'If it were true…“Who?”

Lucius shot him a bitter smile.“Arland Parkinson and I made a contract between you and Pansy the year you were born.”

Draco was incredulous.“Pansy?That cow?”

“She is a well-bred, properly brought-up girl, who is a far better match for you than that Potter boy.”

Draco snorted.“Pansy's a useless, brainless twit.And Harry is the saviour of the wizarding world.Which would _you_ choose if you had to?You were the one who was always telling me how powerful Harry is.Why would you do this?”

“Because, at the time, she was the best choice, Draco.And because Potter will dilute our bloodline!Or hadn’t that even occurred to you?You should be grateful.The Parkinsons are nearly as powerful as the Malfoys.Your children will be the pinnacle of Wizarding society.”

“ _My_ children will be, yes.Because they'll be Harry's children.Not Pansy's.I won't marry her.I refuse.”

“You have no choice.The contract is unbreakable.”

“Find a way.Because I won't.”Draco turned to leave the room, unwilling to listen to more, but before he reached the door, his father spoke again.

“If you refuse, you will lose your inheritance, Draco.”Lucius’s voice was utterly cold.

Draco spun to face him once more.Lucius, though, didn’t look angry, but more resigned than anything else.“Are you threatening me?If you don't leave everything to me, there is nowhere else for it all to go.We both know it.It's an empty promise, father.”

There was a bitter smile on Lucius's face.“No.I would not disinherit you.If the contract is broken, the person who breaks the contract looses their manor.Parkinson insisted.”

Draco’s eyes flew wide at this. This was insane! Lucius would never have allowed Arland Parkinson to get the better of him.Why had he allowed this?Parkinson Manor was barely older than Pansy.Why would Lucius even want it?Why would he even think aboutrisking Malfoy Manor for it?“And you just went along with this?Are you insane?”Draco shook his head.“No, don't answer that.That should be obvious, shouldn't it?”He glowered at his father for a few minutes, then grudgingly asked, “May I see a copy of the contract?”

Lucius waved at a scroll laid out on his desk.“You are more than welcome to look at it, but I'm afraid you won't find a way out of it.Parkinson had the best solicitor of the time go over it for him.He didn't trust me at all, of course.”His voice was completely emotionless now.

“Smart man.Too smart.I still want to see it.”He held out a hand, and after another moment, Lucius nodded, stepped towards his desk, and picked up the scroll, rolled it up carefully, then handed it to Draco.

Before Draco could retreat with the scroll, Lucius grabbed his wrist.There was a look in his eyes Draco had never seen there before.“Don't assume, Draco, that simply because I never bonded, that I never felt the inclination.Your mother is a good woman, and we have had a good marriage, particularly considering the events we have lived through.There was never passion there, but that did not make it a bad thing, Draco.Perhaps you and Pansy…”

“Pansy and I will never be happy.I lived with her in the same house for seven years, father.I loathe the girl.If I can find a way out, I'll take it.Be glad I care for this manor as much as you do.Otherwise I'd simply tell you to marry the chit yourself.”With that, Draco pulled his wrist from his father’s grasp, then turned and swept from the room.


	4. Looking for a Way Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Malfoy family has many secrets.  But how many will come to light when Draco acts on his wish to claim Harry Potter for his Mate?

**4 ~ Looking for a Way Out**

  


By the time Draco returned to his room, he was nearly ready to explode.And what he saw when he entered his room did not improve his mood.Harry and his friends were sitting on the bed, laughing.They might be Harry's friends, he thought, but that didn't mean he had to like them.“Granger.Weasley.I see you found him?Quite alive and well, as I said?”

Weasley simply glared at him, but Granger quickly responded.“Alive and well, yes.Though there was something you neglected to mention, wasn't there, Malfoy?”

Draco snorted.“It was none of your business, Granger.It was between me and Harry.And at that point, nothing had been decided.There was certainly no reason to tell you.”

Draco could see Harry tense as he approached the trio.“Draco…”

“Don't worry.I won't hurt them.I just…”He glanced at Harry's friends, then turned back to his mate, leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss.“I need to look at something.Why don't you take them down and have breakfast?I'm sure mother insisted the House Elves provide quite a spread.She loves having guests stay over.Gives her that much more to organize.”

“Are you sure?How did things…”

“Things are fine.I…I just need to be alone for a bit, okay?”

Harry nodded, slipped off the bed, and pulled him into his arms.Weasley made a disgusted snort, but Draco didn't care.He needed this too much.He could already feel the tension from the argument with Lucius melting away.Harry pulled back after a few moments.“Are you sure?”

Draco nodded.“I'll be fine.We can talk about it later, all right?”

Harry smiled, then gave him another quick kiss and led his friends from the room.

Draco only hoped that he'd been telling Harry the truth.Because marrying Pansy Parkinson would be the furthest thing from fine ever.

***

It was only a half hour before Harry returned, but thankfully he was alone.Draco had gone over the contract three times, enough to know the damned thing by heart already, and was about ready to tear the damned thing to shreds when he felt Harry's arms go round his waist.He jumped, but quickly melted back into Harry’s embrace.

“Hey.Aren't you going to have some breakfast?” Harry said quietly in greeting.

“No.”Draco opened his eyes and leaned back to look over the contract once more, hoping desperately to see something that had eluded him the first three times.

“Draco…”Harry moved around him and settled beside him at the desk.“What happened?What is this thing?”He pulled at the parchment, but Draco tried to snatch it away.

“Don't…” he said, wincing as his voice broke.

“Contract of marriage?Draco, what happened?”Harry met his eyes, worry evident.

Draco sighed. “I was perhaps a touch overhasty last night.It seems, as Severus and my father pointed out, that there were indeed a few facts I was unaware of last night.”

“A few facts?You mean like a marriage contract?”Draco nodded, but Harry shrugged.“Well, he can hardly hold you to it.I mean, I don’t know much about Veela, admittedly, but I’m sure most courts would consider our bond something that overrides a silly contract that you didn’t even know about.Besides, why would anyone in their right mind want to marry Pansy Parkinson?” he smirked.

Draco sighed.“No one.But it doesn’t change the fact that there seems to be no way out of it, Potter.”

Harry looked at him warily.“What do you mean?You already have a mate.Surely they can’t hold you to this?”

“If I don’t, they get the Manor.”Harry looked at him blankly.“I…the Manor…Harry, it’s been in my family for centuries.I know it’s difficult for you to understand, but without the Manor…without it there is no Malfoy Legacy.Do you understand?”

Harry took a deep breath and pulled away.“I…I see.So, I guess I should just forget everything you told me last night?”

“What…No, Harry,” Draco reached for him, but Harry pulled away.

“What then?I’m just supposed to watch you marry someone else?” Harry’s voice rose as he spoke.

“Harry, I need your help to figure a way out of this…” Draco’s eyes were pleading with him, and it was this that calmed Harry, seeing Draco’s own panic.He held his arms out to the blonde, and Draco moved towards him, swallowing down his frustrations.“I don’t know what to do, Harry.I can’t let them take the Manor…”

Harry shushed him and pulled him towards the bed.“We’ll figure something out, Draco.I promise.”

“Harry, what if…”

“Shush.Come here.”They settled on the bed, Harry wrapping himself around Draco’s now-shaking form.“If he wasn’t your father…”

Draco snorted shakily.“You’re not the first to say that, believe me.”

“We’ll figure out something, Draco.I promise.Maybe Hermione…”

Draco turned abruptly in Harry’s arms so that he was facing him.“No, Harry, you have to promise me that you won’t tell your friends.Let me check a few more things first?I…it’s just…”

“Draco, they’re my friends.They’d help us.”

“They hate me.If they thought it meant we wouldn’t be together any more, do you honestly think they’d help me?” he asked, a sliver eyebrow raised.

Harry sighed.“True.But you should give them the benefit of the doubt, Draco.They’d want me to be happy.”

Draco didn’t want to argue any more, though, so he did the best thing he could think to distract Harry.He leaned forward and pressed his lips to his mate’s.There was a puff of startled breath against his lips, and then green eyes fluttered closed, and lips slowly opened beneath his own.Just kissing Harry made him realize that there was simply no way he could lose this.They were connected now.And no one could change that.This was simply a hiccup.And he allowed that thought, and the terrible notion of walking down the aisle with Pansy Parkinson to fade from his thoughts as he lost himself in the taste and feel of Harry Potter.

Harry rolled on top of him, untying the sash of the night robe Draco was still wearing.His hands smoothed the silk material off his arms, and kissed and licked his shoulders as he pulled it away.

“Need you,” Draco moaned, but Harry simply continued to lave his skin as though Draco had said nothing at all.

Harry’s clothing was next, as Draco pulled at the t-shirt he wore, trying desperately to get it off him with as little loss of contact as possible.Finally, Harry drew away, and shed his clothes quickly before straddling Draco once more.“Do you know what you look like, lying there watching me?” he asked in a husky voice.

“Tell me.”

“You’re gorgeous, Draco.Flushed, and writhing just slightly, like a snake on a rock trying to find the warmest spot.”

Draco pulled Harry back down.“The best spot is right under you, Harry.”He pulled Harry’s mouth to his, and sucked on Harry’s lip, loving the way it made him gasp.He pulled away, and looked up into those gorgeous green eyes.“Please, don’t stop?”

“Never, love.”He hissed again, and Draco recognized the sounds as the words he had spoken the night before.

“God, don’t stop…”His eyes fell closed, and he threw his head back against the pillows as Harry licked his way down the column of his throat, sucking on the side of his neck just before he reached the joint between neck and shoulder.His fingers wrapped around their cocks as he began to rub against Draco, their slick flesh sliding excruciatingly against each other.

Draco began to keen at the contact, hard and warm against his own stiff cock, but Harry’s mouth covered his own, and the sound was lost down his throat as they thrust together.Draco pulled away, panting, and looked up into nearly-black green eyes.“Please, Harry I…need you inside…”

But at that moment, someone knocked on the door, and the two bodies stilled as one.“Damn,” Draco growled.“I don’t suppose that could be your friends?” he asked Harry through clenched teeth.

Harry shook his head as he pulled away.“No.Hermione said that she was going back to the Burrow with Ron once they’d finished breakfast.It’s the only reason Ron didn’t insist on coming back up here with me.”Draco looked alarmed at this, but Harry quickly reassured him.“Don’t worry, I would have found some other way to distract them.Maybe it’s your mother?She’s the only one who hasn’t barged in on us yet…”

Draco sighed, and slipped from the bed, tossing Harry his robe.“Here, put this on,” he said, as he slipped on his own, tying it quickly as he crossed the room.He opened the door to find his father standing there. “Father.”Draco put on a bland expression.“And what brings you here for the second time today?”

Lucius glared over at Harry, who was lounging on Draco’s bed, carelessly draped just enough in the robe that Draco had tossed to him.“Hm.I see it hasn’t deterred you at all…”He took a deep breath.“I have arranged a formal meeting this evening between ourselves and the Parkinsons.Severus will be there of course, but otherwise only family will attend.We should be able to negotiate most of the necessary details with them.”

Draco took a deep breath, but his eyes flashed warningly at his father.“Harry and I will be there.”

Lucius opened his mouth to argue, but Draco cut him off.“He and I are bonded, father.It’s not something you will be able to hide from them much longer.Better to have it out in the open with these…negotiations of yours.”

Lucius’s eyes narrowed.“Don’t think this will change anything, Draco.”

Draco smiled bitterly.“I’m well aware of that, father.Though if Arland Parkinson took offence and withdrew from the contract, there would no longer be a problem for me, would there?”

“Don’t count on it, Draco.That man has had his eye on our fortunes since well before you were born.And that daughter of his is worse, if anything.They’ll hold on to everything with both hands, if they can.No matter what the personal cost.”With a scowl, he scanned his son’s rumpled robes and hair.“I’d recommend formal dress.See if you can at least find something suitable for him, if you insist that he be there.”Then Lucius turned from his son and left the room without another glance in Harry’s direction.

Sighing, Draco closed the door.“Lovely.As if the prospect of marrying Pansy weren’t bad enough, now I actually have to spend time with her.”

The feel of Harry pulling him into his arms calmed him immediately.“Draco, if it will make things difficult for you…”

Draco turned abruptly in his arms.“No.”His hands encircled Harry’s waist.“I need you there.It’ll be the only thing keeping me from falling apart.”

Harry smiled softly.“If you’re sure, love…”He leaned forward and captured Draco’s lips in a soft kiss.“Whatever you need, I’m here.”

Draco smiled grimly.“Just promise me you’ll still be saying that tonight,” he said in a cheerless voice.He pulled out of the embrace, and pulled Harry towards the bathroom.“Well, seeing as it’s nearly lunchtime, we might want to start getting ready now.”

“Now?Your father said this evening.Surely we don’t need six hours to get ready.”

Draco laughed.“No, I need four hours to forget, and two to get both of us ready,” he said with a smirk.

Harry’s answering smile made the smirk turn into a grin.“I think I could oblige that…” he responded.

***

Dinner in the Malfoy household was always served promptly at seven.No house-elf who forgot this went unpunished long enough to forget it ever again.Guests and family were always expected in the Drawing room by six.Long enough for a chat or an aperitif.Or a negotiation.

Harry and Draco were ready well before six, but there was no way Draco would be the last to arrive, so he made sure to delay their departure from his room until nearly a quarter past the hour.

He had pulled out two of his best robes, which matched each other in a complementary way.Draco’s was silver with green trimmings and laces, and Harry’s an emerald green with silver trimmings and laces.When he complained about the Slytherinness of the colours, Draco was quick to point out that Harry was about to walk into a nest of Slytherins himself, and the best way to blend in was to embrace his own Slytherinness, colours and all.

As they walked down to the Drawing room, Draco was unable to keep himself from going over every detail of their plan.“Don’t touch me, because we don’t want to give things away before Pansy knows, unless of course, father has told them already, but I highly doubt he will, because that would cause him to lose face.Just stay to my left, and when I ask Pansy out to the terrace, follow me out…”

“Draco!”

Draco looked up from the staircase he was descending to see Harry looking down at him from the top step, smiling but worried.He moved forward, and clutched Draco’s shoulder.“It’s all right.We’ll get through this.I promise.”

A cold voice came from the landing below them.“Not if you don’t get into that Drawing room soon, Potter.”Snape’s narrow gaze turned to Draco.“Your father is about ready to eviscerate you, Draco.I would recommend that if you want your mate well and whole, that you might want to hurry yourself just a little.He was hardly in a pleasant mood to begin with, and testing him this way will only increase your difficulties.”

Draco took a deep breath, and gave him a sour expression.“We’re on our way.”

Snape looked at where Harry’s hand still rested on Draco’s shoulder.“Hm.Yes.Well…”He flashed Draco a look of resignation, and turned back down the stairs.Draco and Harry followed quickly after, and Draco braced himself as he entered the room.

Pansy’s eyes lit up as he entered, but her excitement faded when she saw Harry enter immediately after.Draco ignored her and turned to her parents.“Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson.How delightful to see you again.It has been quite a while.How are you?”He reached out a hand and shook Arland’s hand before the man could ask why Harry was in attendance as well.

The man looked bewildered for a moment, then annoyed, but visibly tamped down his emotions to respond to Draco’s questions.“Doing well.And you seem to be getting along quite well.You look more like your father every day, Draco,” he said, slanting a look in Lucius’s direction.

Lucius looked warningly at the man before turning to Draco.“You took your time.Got in a good long nap?”

Draco raised his chin.“We’re well-rested, father, if that’s what you’re asking.”With that he turned to Pansy.“Hello, Pansy.Shall we go have a little chat?”

Pansy’s eyes lit up as he took her arm, but glowered when she noticed Harry tagging along.“Draco, I thought we’d be alone.”

Draco smiled, but said nothing, and watched as Harry moved to the doors and opened them so that their little group could step outside.He heard Lucius say something, probably trying to call Harry back, but the door was shut behind them before anyone else could say anything.As soon as they were out of their parents’ sight, Draco dropped Pansy’s arm.

She looked at him, startled.“What is it, darling?Is something wrong?And why is Potter here?I though you hated him.”

Draco snorted, and stepped closer to his mate.Not looking at him, but simply gaining strength from his presence.This wasn’t going to be pretty, but it had to be done.“We’re here to discuss how this marriage will go, Pansy, not to discuss my relationships with others.”She looked annoyed at this, but he kept on, not ready for her to interrupt just yet.“You see, this marriage isn’t my choice.But I’m a good little Malfoy.Father raised me to put the name above anything, so I will marry you.”A smile spread across Pansy’s face, and Draco could see the wheels turning already.

“But...” and at this, she looked rather startled.It looked good on her, he thought.Much better than that simpering sneer she often wore to try to get into his good graces at school.“There are things you don’t know, and things you will not be allowed.Such as the use of that word you just chose.I am not your ‘darling,’ or your ‘love’ or any other such thing.I am Draco, and I will be your husband—in name only.You see, Pansy, I already have a mate.And we were mated before I knew anything about this farce.And any heir I have will be of his blood and mine.No Parkinson will ever inherit Malfoy wealth or this Manor.”

“His?” she hissed at him, but he continued before she could say more.

“You will have your own wing, and you will be free to come and go.Though, if you do end up pregnant, Pansy, be assured that I will make sure to formally disavow any relation to the brat before it has even left your womb.Because I promise I will never touch you, so I will know that any brat you have is not mine.And, in that…event, I will also make sure you are removed from the Manor entirely.There are certainly enough Malfoy estates other than this one for you to reside in should you care to try me on that matter.”

“His?” Pansy shrieked over his last words.“How dare you…”

But her words were lost in his response.“Yes, Pansy.His.Harry’s.But even were you the right sex, you would still not have been my choice, Pansy.You were never my choice, and I will make sure you remember it every day of our life together.”

“I don’t have to stand here and take this from you—you…you…slag!” she spat.

Draco laughed humourlessly.“Was that the best you could come up with on your own, Pansy?Pitiful, really.As for taking this?I’m just telling you how it will be.Once we’re married, I will be announcing my formal Veela bonding with Harry here to the Wizarding World.And you, my dear, will be a laughingstock.But as I’ve been given no choice in whether or not I marry you…”

Pansy lunged at him, but Harry was quick to catch her wrist.“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Parkinson.He’s only telling you the truth.It’s hardly his fault he didn’t know he was betrothed when we bonded this morning.”Harry’s voice was so calm Draco couldn’t help but be impressed.

“You.I always wondered if Draco was just a bit too caught up in hating you for it to be healthy.And now I know I was right.” She turned to Draco, the rage in her eyes almost making her pretty for once.“Father will be hearing about this, Draco.Don’t think he won’t.He’ll make sure you’ll pay for hurting me.”And with that, she stormed back into the Drawing room, where Draco could already hear raised voices joining Pansy’s shrieks of rage.

The Parkinsons didn’t stay for dinner that evening after all.


	5. Finding Out the Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Malfoy family has many secrets.  But how many will come to light when Draco acts on his wish to claim Harry Potter for his Mate?

  
**5 ~ Finding Out the Truth**   


Lucius was quick to turn on his son once the Parkinsons were gone.“What have you done now, boy?” he growled.

Draco laughed.“I simply told her what she could expect from a marriage to me, father.Did you want me to lie to her?”

Lucius stalked towards his son, his eyes blazing with rage.“If you have cost us this Manor…”

“Lucius.”Narcissa’s voice was quiet, but it seemed to ring through the room.Lucius turned slowly towards his wife, and took a calming breath.“Draco had every right to tell Pansy whatever he liked, as long as he was agreeing to the marriage.It was what you wished.I don’t believe he refused to marry her, which would be the only reason you could have to berate him.”She looked coldly at her husband for a moment before continuing.“It seems to me he’s being far more honest with her than many of his predecessors, _Lucius_.”

Draco was curious as to what this could mean, but he was even more startled at the angry flush that flooded his father’s face, and was utterly astonished when his father turned away without another word and stormed towards the liquor cabinet.Narcissa turned to Draco, and smiled softly at him.“Perhaps you and…Harry would like a private supper up in your room, Draco?I don’t think your father will be very good company this evening.”

Draco smiled cautiously.“That would be lovely, mother.Thank you.”

Narcissa nodded.“I’ll have the house-elves set up a table in your room momentarily.”Then she turned away and exited the room.

They’d barely left the room themselves when Snape caught up with them.“Hardly the most intelligent thing you’ve ever done, Draco.”

Draco looked at his godfather for several minutes before he responded.“I wasn’t so much worried about being intelligent at this point, Severus.All I really want to be is free of this little commitment father has orchestrated for me.But I don’t seem to be having much luck at that.”

“You’re far more like your father than you’d like to think, Draco.But even he had to marry eventually.Surely you could survive it as well?”

Draco snorted.“Pansy Parkinson is nothing like my mother.If she were, there might be some slight chance, but…”

“Draco, do you honestly think your mother was always the way she is now?Or that your father honestly saw her then as you see her now?Everything changes.Perhaps you would do well to go do a bit of studying of your family’s history.”With that, he turned and moved up the stairs and off to his room.

Draco glowered after him.“Does he think I’m still a child?”

Harry snorted, and Draco turned to glower at him.“Honestly, Draco.You’d think he was telling you to shut up and marry her.I never heard him say that once.Perhaps he’s honestly trying to help you.Though…coming from Snape…”Harry looked worriedly after their former teacher.Finally, he shrugged, unsure how to have taken the man’s actions.“Well, maybe we should?”

Draco took a deep breath and sighed.“Perhaps after dinner.Terrifying Pansy has left me rather famished.”He smirked, then made his way up the stairs, Harry following closely behind.

***

What with one thing and another, they never made it to the library that night.But the following morning, after breakfast and a leisurely bath, the two took themselves to the Manor’s library.Harry goggled a bit at the size of the place, which was only slightly smaller than the Hogwarts library, but Draco walked straight to the far side of the room, and began to pull out books.

“Lucius, grandfather Magnus…”

This caught Harry’s attention.“You’re named for your grandfather?”

Draco snorted.“Among other things...”He continued to pull down books.“Grandmother Leena…Family history…Well, that should do for now.If we don’t find anything in there, we can always go talk to grandmother’s portrait.Grandfather was always close-mouthed.”He handed Harry his grandfather’s book and sat down with Lucius’s opening it to about half-way.“Whatever we need would be towards the end.Grandfather died shortly after I was born.”

Harry looked at the book he was holding.It was a large leather journal with the name ‘Magnus Leeland Severus Malfoy’ written on the cover.He ran his fingers over the third name.“Severus?”

Draco sighed and looked up.“We’re never going to get anywhere if you keep asking questions, Harry.Yes, he’s a very distant cousin.And yes, he was named after grandfather.It was one of the reasons father insisted he be my godfather.Now, can we get back to this?”

“But, Draco, what are these books?”

“They’re personal history books.All the old-blood families have them.One for each family member, and one for the family as a whole.They update as major events happen to the family.”He smirked, and leaned towards Harry.“Mine would have updated quite a bit in the last few days…”

Harry’s eyes widened.“You mean…”

“Well, not the sex…But we did bond.And there’s a new heir on the way, after all.Those are important family facts, you know.They might be needed some day.”

“Okay…So, these would have some mention of Lucius’s engagement to your mother, you think?”

“Of course there would be.And of my conception.Among other things…”He began flipping through the pages, a picture here and there catching his attention.

Harry opened the book he held and began to do the same, but his eyes were quickly caught by a large photo that took up the entirety of one page.The legend read, “Malfoy family: Magnus, Leena, Lucius, and friend.The picture was slightly faded, and the boy, a good deal younger than Lucius, at least six years younger, was looking at him more than the camera.Lucius smiled down at him.Lucius looked in his early twenties, but the boy did not even seem to be out of his teens yet.But it was the neat fall of dark hair that really caught his attention.

“Sirius?”

His soft whisper caught Draco’s attention.“What?”He leaned over to see what Harry was looking at so raptly.“Oh, that’s not cousin Sirius.That’s his little brother.Regulus.He came to visit the summer his brother ran away from home, and apparently he and father got on quite well.”

“Regulus?Sirius told me about him.Wasn’t he…”He tore his gaze from the photo.“Didn’t he die in the first war?”

“Yes, it was a shame.Father said it was such a waste.But he simply couldn’t handle everything any more, and panicked.Father says he tried to help him, but Regulus just lost his head…A pity, really.I think I would have liked to have met him.Mother tells me I look a great deal like him.That I take more after her side of the family than father’s.”He smiled.“Of course, she only says that out of father’s hearing…”

He began to flip through his father’s book once more, stopping at another picture.This one of the two young men alone.“See? Here’s another.Regulus must have just finished Hogwarts here…”Harry leaned over and was about to comment when in the photo, Lucius leaned towards Regulus and caught him in a passionate kiss.The two watched wide-eyed as the two men kissed.

“Draco…”

“I…I had no idea.I thought father…I mean, he’s married…”He looked up at Harry.“You don’t think…”

Harry shrugged.“It looks like it to me.”

Draco frowned, but began to scan the pages more carefully now.If his father had been involved with another man…The text was quite dry, but Draco forced himself to keep going.These magical texts weren’t particularly exciting to read, as they really only recorded facts, but if there was something in here—and there had to be, as why else would Severus have suggested he look here—then he would find it.Finally, on the page following the picture, he found what he was looking for.

“Lucius Malfoy, at twenty-four, was unwittingly claimed by his chosen mate in a moment of passion.That mate, Regulus Black, was killed later that same night, and left Lucius to look desperately for a wife to raise their child.”

Draco could only stare at the passage for a moment.Their child?Had he had an older brother or sister?Why had Lucius never told him?But as he thought more about it, that seemed wrong.After all, he’d been conceived that same year.Surely that wasn’t simply coincidence, was it?He read on, in hope of further enlightenment.The next passage spoke of his whirlwind courtship of Narcissa Black, cousin of his dead lover.And a short passage describing the marriage only a month later.November.Eight months before his birth.

Draco swallowed, trying to comprehend what he’d been reading.Lucius had…carried him?But that meant that Regulus Black was his father.And Narcissa just a substitute.A mask for the perfect family that Lucius wanted to present to the world.And after all, who better than a Black to replace a Black?Had he been born with Regulus’s hair, it still would have meant nothing.He sat back, stunned.

“Draco?”Harry was looking over his shoulder still, and had obviously read the same passages.Draco slammed the book closed.

“What?” he asked crossly.

“Are you…”

“I’m fine, Potter.Leave be, all right?”

Harry looked at him warily.“Maybe…”

“Potter, I said leave be.”He stood abruptly.“I think I’m going to go for a walk.I’ll see you in a bit, all right?”Harry nodded, and Draco turned and left the room.

His thoughts still whirled.What did this mean?What, exactly, did Severus want him to find?Had he been referring to something else, perhaps?But no, he had been referring to Lucius’s choices when he had been faced with the same problems.Well, certainly they hadn’t been the same problems.They were quite different, in fact.His lover had just died, and he’d obviously wanted to be assured that no one would know the truth.So he’d seduced the closest thing he could to Regulus in female form.Draco shuddered.He supposed it might have been worse. He might have had Bellatrix as his mother.

And as for the pregnancy, once he had married Narcissa, the pregnancy itself was probably fairly easy to disguise.He and Narcissa must have had corresponding glamours the entire time he’d carried Draco.

Draco was startled to find himself in front of his father’s study, and tamped down the urge to run the other way.There were still things he didn’t know, couldn’t understand, and he wanted those answers now.He rapped on the door, and waited for Lucius’s sharp, “Come in,” before opening the door.

“Hello, father.”

Lucius looked wary, and had Draco not been in a state already, he might have managed to smirk at this.Instead he moved to the chair in front of his father’s desk.Looking him straight in the eye, he said, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Lucius was silent for a long minute, and Draco wondered what story he’d come up with to absolve himself this time.Finally, he turned towards the fire.“I figured there would be plenty of time to tell you when you were older.It just never came up.”

Draco let out a disbelieving laugh.“Never came up?Every time anyone mentioned him in this house, you became cold, angry and…You always made sure the subject changed as soon as possible.”

Lucius’s eyes shot back to his son’s.“Who are you talking about, Draco?I thought this was about the contract.”He seemed honestly puzzled, and it was this initial response, more than anything else, that convinced Draco he truly didn’t realize what his son now knew.

“Severus sent me to the family library this morning.Well…last night, but Harry and I decided to go through the family journals after we’d broken our fast.I was trying to understand why you did this to me.But I certainly wasn’t expecting what I found.”

Lucius had paled slightly at the mention of the family journals.And when Draco had stopped speaking, he seemed unable to even ask what it was that Draco had found.When he finally managed to speak, his voice was low, just above a whisper.“Severus should not have done that.He should have sent you to me.”

Draco laughed humourlessly.“To have you lie to my face?Not even telling me who I am?Let alone that I’ve been engaged my entire life!I’m amazed you even informed me of my Veela heritage!”

“Draco, I did what I thought best.None of it was meant to hurt you…”

“No, just to disguise certain facts from most of the world.Have you had male lovers for your entire married life, or only him?I highly doubt you abstained from sex at all, but I’d always thought that you at least slightly cared for mother…”Draco stopped, realizing what he’d said.“But she isn’t my mother, is she?”All colour drained from Lucius’s face at this comment, his suspicions confirmed.“Why didn’t you tell me?”Draco repeated.

Lucius stood, and Draco jumped to his feet, and moved to his side to prevent him from leaving.“Don’t avoid this.You’ve been avoiding it for over eighteen years.Almost nineteen.Why didn’t you tell me about him?” and there was a pleading tone to his voice now, but he felt so lost.“Please, father…”

Lucius’s eyes closed, and he swayed for a moment before folding back down into his chair.“I tried to forget.I tried to make others forget.I…”He looked up at his son, whose grey eyes were not washed with blue as Lucius’s were, but a true, silvery grey that came only from the Black bloodline.“Draco…when I lost him, I…”He sighed.“I was looking through my family journal the night after he died.I hadn’t even realized what had happened.And when I read it, I knew.”His lip curled.“I felt so useless, Draco.You can’t possibly understand.Regulus’s death drove Severus to Dumbledore.But it broke me.All I could do was try to pick up the pieces.”He reached out a hand to try to stroke Draco’s cheek, but Draco recoiled.

“He died…You told me once that it was his own fault.Do you really believe that?” he asked in a choked voice.

“I wish I could reassure you, Draco.That time…”He took a deep breath.“You should understand, Draco. Last time…The Dark Lord’s power had been so weakened by his time spent bodiless that he was barely sane when he returned.He was nothing to what he had been before.Then, he was powerful.So powerful.To go against him was insanity.Especially if you were his.You did what he asked, and if you could not, he disposed of you.Weakness was simply not tolerated.”

“And?”Draco could feel his throat closing, sure he knew what his father was going to say, but hoping that somehow he was wrong.He’d never seen Lucius look so lost before.And if it terrified Lucius…

Lucius’s eyes closed for a moment.“Regulus wanted to leave.Kept begging me to come with him.That we didn’t have to live this way, that it was wrong.”Lucius’s eyes opened, and he met his son’s gaze steadily.“That afternoon, my Lord called me to him.Told me he had a little test for me…”

Draco pulled back.“You…you…”

Lucius’s teeth were clenched.“I had no choice, Draco.If I had not, I would have died too.Don’t you see?”

“You killed him?”

“Draco, please…”

But Draco couldn’t listen any longer, and turned and ran from the room.He had no idea where he was headed until he found himself in his own room, and huddled onto his bed, trying not to break into sobs. It was several minutes before he realized that he was not alone on the bed.It took him a moment to recognize the hand on his back, and the low, soothing voice murmuring at him to calm down, and that things would be all right.He pushed himself into Harry’s lap, still choking on his sobs.

“He…He killed him.”He looked up into Harry’s worried face, his own streaked with tears.“How could he do that?”

But Harry was not the one who answered.

“He had no choice, Draco.Had he not done so, he would have died.And you would not be here now.”

Draco turned to look at his godfather, who stood near the fireplace.“Does that mean I’m supposed to forgive him it?” he asked wildly.

“I should think it would at least give you cause to wonder why he has protected you from this for eighteen years, Draco.And why he kept you from the Dark Lord after raising you to believe in his cause since you were small.”

“He is simply nothing more than a hypocrite,” Draco growled.“He wishes to make me feel guilty for his own actions.It won’t work.I hate that girl, and if I can help it, I certainly will not marry her.”

“Do you honestly think, Draco, that this was just about marriage?”

Draco snorted.“Of course it is, Severus.He simply wishes to keep me under his finger…under his control forever.Just like everyone else.”

“He was trying to protect you, Draco.”

Draco snorted again.“Protect me?From what?It hardly protected me from him!”

“Draco, as much as you are Lucius’s son, you are even more Regulus’s.You have his flair for the dramatic, and his…emotional demeanor.All of the Blacks of his family were overly emotional.Even Potter could tell you that.”

“So, I’m emotional.What has that to do with anything?”

“You did not wonder why your father switched sides?Why he insisted you not take the Mark?”

Draco sighed, annoyed.“Of course I wondered, but when it concerns father, I rarely get an answer when it comes to those sorts of things, so I didn’t let it bother me.”

“Draco, he was worried that you would meet the same fate as Regulus.That he himself would be forced to kill you.”Silence met this declaration, and Draco felt Harry’s arms tighten around him.“He wanted to save you from that.Even if it killed him.He was willing to put his own life on the line to spare you yours.”

“Then why couldn’t he let me live it the way I wish?Why this horrible contract with the Parkinsons?”

Snape frowned.“Your grandfather was not a kind man, Draco.He insisted upon propriety above all things.And men of Lucius’s station were required to marry, and have heirs.He chose as well as he could be expected to do, and thought it done.After all, Narcissa Black was highly respectable, and a perfect disguise for his relationship with Regulus.But when Magnus found out that you were on your way, and exactly whose son you were, he insisted that Lucius prevent you from making the same mistake he had.He forced your father to find a proper marriage for you.Insisted it be done before you were even a month old.Parkinson were the only family Magnus approved of who had a daughter your age, so he was the one to whom the offer was made.Had Lucius refused any of Parkinson’s requests, he would have refused the contract, and your grandfather would have disowned Lucius entirely.”

Draco stared at Severus for several long minutes.“So, he was forced to do this to me?Then why isn’t he helping me get out of this? Why is he so angry that I want to choose my own path?”

Severus’s mouth twisted into a sad grimace.“We hate seeing the people we love getting what they wish when we were denied the same, Draco.”

Draco was startled by this.“He’s jealous of me?”

“Not in so many words.But he does wish that things had turned out a bit differently.For both of you.”He glanced at Harry, who, though silent, had been holding Draco tightly the entire time.“Nor is he pleased with the idea that his blood will be diluted by Potter’s.”

“Far better than diluting it with Pansy’s!She has no tact or taste, and her magic is a joke.I’m amazed she was even invited to attend Hogwarts!”

“Draco, don’t be so disingenuous.She can be quite clever when she wishes…”

“She’s scheming, manipulative, and ruthless!”

“You mean she’s a Slytherin?” Harry asked from behind him.

Draco turned to glare at him.“Are you going to turn on me, too?” he asked plaintively.

“Of course not.But you can’t deny that those are all very Slytherin traits.”

“Does that mean I have to like her?”

“God, no,” Harry smiled at him.“In fact, I can’t wait until we figure out a way to get rid of her, so we can get on with other things…”

Draco returned his smile with a smirk.“Yes…”

“Please, do restrain yourselves at least until I have left the room,” Severus growled from where he still stood.

Draco turned back towards his godfather.“Sorry, Severus.I’d forgotten you were there.”

Severus scowled.“Hm…yes.I had noticed.”He examined the two young men on the bed for a moment, then said, “Just try to understand, Draco, none of this was done to hurt you.He cares for you very much.Perhaps you could find some way to forgive him?”

Draco drew a deep breath.“I will think about it, Severus.It’s a lot to take in, really.”

“I know.Time will help.Get some rest.I will tell your mother you weren’t feeling particularly well.I’d imagine she’d like a visit at some point…”

Draco swallowed.He wondered how that would go.If she knew he was aware that they were not mother and son, would she want to have anything to do with him ever again?He nodded at his godfather to acknowledge what he’d said.

“Get some rest.It’s been an emotional few days.”

“Thank you, Severus.I’ll try to do that.”

But once Severus had left the room, Draco turned to Harry.“You knew Sirius.Did he tell you much about Regulus at all?”

Harry shook his head.“Not really.Mostly that his younger brother was the ‘good son,’ and always lorded the fact over him.I don’t think they got on much.He did seem rather sad that they’d never managed to become friends before Regulus died, though.Not that he ever said as much, but he seemed to only have two modes when he talked about Regulus the few times he did: angry and sad.”

Draco nodded.“Family’s a confusing thing,” he managed through a yawn, before snuggling deep into Harry’s arms, and falling asleep.


	6. Coming to Terms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Malfoy family has many secrets.  But how many will come to light when Draco acts on his wish to claim Harry Potter for his Mate?

**  
**6 ~ Coming to Terms**   
**   


Things didn’t improve over the next few days.Draco avoided Lucius entirely, and he and Harry took most of their meals in his room.Narcissa was another matter entirely.After his third day of sulking, she finally appeared at his door along with their lunch tray.

“I refuse to allow any of this ridiculous hiding any longer, Draco.You and Harry will attend supper tonight.I insist.You are still a part of this family, and even if you are angry with your father, that is no excuse to avoid me.”

“Yes, mother,” Draco said miserably.

“Draco, I know all this is difficult for you, but some good can come of it.”

Draco looked up to meet her eyes.“What do you mean?”

She smiled.“I was quite fond of Regulus when we were young.He and I got on quite well.I thought maybe…You might want to hear about him?”

Draco swallowed.“Really?You want to tell me about him?”

She smiled.It was a smile he remembered from his childhood, when he’d done something particularly clever, or charmed one of her friends.“Draco, whatever else, I raised you.That made you my son.And I hope I have done Regulus justice.I think he would be proud of you.”

He looked at her, worried.“Do you?Even though I’ve disappointed father?”

“Your father…”She sighed.“He’s a difficult man, Draco.I think Magnus pushed too hard after Regulus died.Your father was never quite the same after you were born.”

Draco scowled.“But…”

“He was never kind or sweet, Draco, but when he was with Regulus, he was a different person.”She sighed.“And that person went away after Regulus died.You became his reason for doing anything, Draco.He’s not perfect, but he does want the world for you.It’s not his fault that you don’t want what he thinks you need.”

Draco glanced at Harry, who was curled up on the bed, reading, purposefully giving mother and son time together.“He loved Regulus.Why can’t he understand how I feel?”

“Draco, he never admitted to himself what he was feeling until it was too late, and Regulus was gone.”

“Serves him right,” Draco scowled.“He could have had everything.”

“Draco.”Draco sighed and turned to her.“Nothing is ever that simple.You and Harry never exactly got along in school, did you?Everyone has to come to their own understanding in their own way.Lucius knew he was fond of Regulus, but it took his death for him to realize what it meant.That is his tragedy.”She reached out a hand and smoothed down Draco’s hair.“That you never knew Regulus is yours.”She smiled sadly.“I’d like to show him to you if I might.Would you like that?”

“Show him to me?” Draco asked, surprised.“How?”

“A Pensieve, of course.I thought you and Harry might like to see Regulus and Sirius before…”

Draco looked over at Harry, who was watching them warily.“I’d like that.”He smiled at Harry, who smiled back.

“Me, too.”

Narcissa seemed pleased.“It might take me a few days.I need to think of the best memories to show both of you.I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

Draco moved to her side, and kissed her on the cheek.“Thank you, mother.”

“I only wish I could have raised you with more tales of him.But it hurt Lucius so much to hear of him, I didn’t have the heart to do so.”

“Yes, well…Thank you for what you did tell me when I was young.I was always fond of the times you spent telling me about him.”

“I’m glad.Those times meant a lot to me, too.He would have adored you,” she said, smiling.They were both quiet for a moment, then Narcissa stood, and straightened herself.“I should begin thinking about this now, if I’m going to.I still expect you both for supper tonight, and I expect you, Draco, to be civil to your father while we eat at the very least.I know you are angry at him, but there is no need to bring such disagreements to the table.I’ll see you both then.”

Draco sighed.“Yes, mother.”He walked her to the door, gave her a hug, and watched as she walked down the hall to her room.It wouldn’t be easy, but for her he would do it.

***

Dinner conversation was stilted and only barely civil.Draco did his best not to speak to Lucius at all, though he could hardly ignore his questions entirely.He simply made sure his answers were as short as possible, and changed the subject of conversation as soon as he could.Lucius was less than pleased at this, but Narcissa seemed to have talked to him as well, and he was doing his best to control his temper.After the final course had been cleared away, Draco and Harry made their apologies and returned to Draco’s rooms.

An owl was waiting there for them.It was the tiniest owl Draco’d ever seen, and it looked as though someone had been feeding it nothing but sugar, as it was zooming about the room and twittering its head off in a high voice.

“It’s Pigwidgeon,” Harry said.

“Pig what?”

“Ron’s owl.Hold on.”He grabbed the owl out of the air, and managed to get the note it had been carrying, then set it loose once more.He read the note, scowling, and Draco resisted the urge to read it over his shoulder.

“What is it?”

“He wants to know when I’m going to come get the rest of my stuff…”

Draco raised an eyebrow.That seemed rather civil of Weasley, given that he and Draco had hated each other from the moment they’d met.“Is that all?”

Harry looked worriedly up at Draco.“Well, not entirely…”

Draco smiled blandly.“Let me guess.He wants to know if you’ve come to your senses yet.”

“Something like that.”He sighed.“But he’s right.I haven’t needed much more than what was in my overnight bag since I got here, but I should get my stuff…I mean, the Burrow barely has enough room as it is.The Weasleys shouldn’t have to store my stuff, too.”

“Your stuff is at the Weasleys?Good lord, we do need to go rescue it.Shall we go tomorrow?”

Harry swallowed.“Actually, Draco, I don’t know that it’s a good idea for you to go with me.I mean, it’s not really your kind of place.”

Draco sneered.“You mean, you don’t trust me not to be cruel about it.”

“Draco, please…”

Draco turned away.“Fine.Go on.I’ll just be here waiting until you get back.”

Harry’s arms wrapped around his waist.“Don’t be like this, Draco.I do want you all to get along, I just think it’s better for me to go alone to do this.Besides, you’d probably hate it there.”

Draco sniffed, but said nothing.

“Draco…”He pulled Draco around and tried to kiss him, but Draco turned his face just at the last moment.

“If you want to go see your friends, I certainly can’t stop you.But I won’t pretend it doesn’t upset me that you don’t trust me.”

“Maybe it’s not you I’m worried about being able to trust, Draco.Did you ever think of that?”

Draco looked at him.“Oh?”

“I may be best friends with Ron, but I’m not blind to his less-than-stellar qualities, you know.He has problems letting go of certain things.But once he’s accepted you, Draco, it’s like he never had doubts to begin with.He’s just…extreme in his responses to people.I hope, given time, and the realization of what you mean to me, that he’ll…lighten up a bit.”

“And pigs will fly I suppose?”Draco sighed, and leaned into Harry.“I do love you, but I just wish…”

“I know, Draco.It’s just going to take time, that’s all.”

“If you say so.”

“Hermione will help.”

Draco snorted.“Granger?She has every right to hate me as much as the w…Weasley does.”They were silent for a bit, just holding each other.“How long do you think you’ll be gone?” Draco finally asked.

“A couple of hours.I’d like to at least spend some time with them.They are my best friends, after all.”

“Just promise me you’ll be back before dinner.If I have to deal with a night like tonight alone, I may have to strangle the man, even if he did carry me.”

“I promise not to leave you alone with him.”He took Draco’s hand, and they moved to the bed.“Now, you get comfortable while I write a response to Ron, and then we can spend the rest of the evening forgetting about all of them, okay?”

Draco smirked.“Promise?”

“Absolutely,” Harry grinned.

***

Draco spent the next day in the library, further examining the family journals.Lucius had found out somehow that Harry was out of the Manor, and seemed to think it would make Draco more open to him since his “bad influence” was gone.After the third such visit, Draco felt it was prudent to escape his rooms, lest he do something more than simply hex his father.

It was there that Narcissa found him, gazing at a picture of Lucius and Regulus together.

“Draco?”

“Hello, mother.He was happy with father, wasn’t he?” he asked plaintively.

“He adored Lucius.I have something for you.Something I’d forgotten about.His mother gave it to me after he died.She said that since we were so close, he would have liked me to have it.”She handed him a small box.

“What is it?”

She smiled.“Open it and find out.”

Inside the box was a long silver chain with a pale green crystal dangling from it.“A necklace?” he asked.

“It’s a special necklace, Draco.I knew what it was, but I never touched it myself.I figured it was too private.But I thought you might like to see them when they were happy together.”

“A memory crystal?”Memory crystals were much like Pensieves, though because of their small size, they could hold only one memory. They were also extravagantly expensive.It must have been a gift from Lucius, he thought.

She nodded.

He took a breath, uncertain if he wanted to see the memory that Regulus had saved and treasured so.But he wanted to see him.And the pictures couldn’t talk…He touched the tip of his finger to it, and a bright spring day sprang up around him.Regulus was clutching Lucius’s hand as they walked slowly down a garden path that Draco recognized as one of the Manor’s outlying gardens.One he’d gotten into particular trouble for going into on his own once.

They were talking in quiet voices, and Regulus was smiling up at Lucius.He certainly didn’t look older than eighteen.Then a serious look came over his face, they stopped walking, and he turned to Lucius.“Luc, tell me things won’t change after I take it.That you’ll be there after?Sirius keeps telling me that you’re just using me, that you’re just trying to get me to take the Mark for Him, and that you care nothing for me.Tell me it’s not true.”

Lucius smiled lightly.“You really ought to stop listening to that brother of yours.He tells you the most terrific horror stories.”He caressed Regulus’s face, then pulled his chin up so that his face was tilted up to Lucius’s.“My feelings for you will never alter, Regulus.No one could possibly mean more to me than you.And your brother is a fool for even suggesting such a thing.”With that, he leaned down and claimed Regulus’s lips, and Draco felt he had to turn away.He pulled his fingers from the pendant, and looked at Narcissa where she sat.

“Not a bad memory, I hope?” she asked.

Draco shook his head.“No. Just the two of them.Father was still father.Nothing different there.”He looked at the pendant for a moment before looking back at her.“You say he was different with Regulus.What do you mean?He seemed the same to me.”

Narcissa’s smile faded slightly.“It’s difficult to explain, really.He wasn’t more open, nor more forgiving.But there was a lightness about him that disappeared the day Regulus died.He was more willing to put himself on the line, I suppose.More accepting of others, perhaps.And when he was with Regulus, you could see that he was happy.Regulus as well.”She looked troubled.“It would be better if you waited until tonight to ask these questions.I should have the memories ready by then.They’ll probably answer more of your questions than I can.If you and Harry are willing to come to my suite tonight, I could show you both.”

Draco nodded.“Of course.”He reached out to hold her hand.“You don’t know how much your understanding has meant to me, mother.I don’t know what I would have done if it had just been Lucius and myself.”

Narcissa smiled sadly.“You would have managed.Malfoys always do.”

Draco scowled.“What Malfoys do is manage to alienate everyone in our lives.It’s amazing we reproduce at all.”

“Well, that’s got to be why you need the veela blood, then,” a familiar voice said in his ear.

He turned to see Harry standing behind him, grinning.“Are you saying that you wouldn’t have been attracted to me without my Veela heritage?” Draco smirked.

“Something like that.”He leaned forward and they kissed.“Missed you,” he said quietly as he pulled away.

“Well, what do you expect, deserting me like that in my moment of need?Serves you right,” Draco pouted, trying to repress the grin that having Harry near invariably invoked.

“Hm.Well, maybe it is my fault.Perhaps I should be punished?”Narcissa coughed at this, and both men looked up, horrified.“Um, I…”

“Sorry, mother.We have a bit of a tendency to forget there are others in the room,” Draco said apologetically.

To their relief, Narcissa looked more amused than anything else.“Yes, I do recall that little foible.The times Regulus forgot himself when Lucius entered the room…”She sighed.“It’s quite all right.Everyone makes a bit of a fool of themselves when they’re first in love.It quite pleases me to see it.”

“Really?” Harry asked.“Even though I’m only a half-blood, as both your husband and Snape keep pointing out to us?”

Narcissa stood and moved closer, placing her hand on Harry’s.“All I see is a young man who treats my son the way he deserves to be treated.How can I not approve of that?You are Draco’s choice, and that is all that matters to me.”

Draco couldn’t quite contain his pride at this.“What did I do to deserve you, mother?” he said, rising to his feet and pulling her into a hug.

She patted awkwardly at his shoulder once he released her.“You have always been a wonderful boy.And I would have been no prouder of you for your choices these past few days had I carried you myself.Remember that.”

“Thank you.”

“No need.I’m your mother, remember?”She straightened her dress, then looked at the two young men in front of her once more.“Now, don’t forget.After supper, I expect to see you in my sitting room.I’m not sure how long you’ll want to look, but that should give us enough time.I’ll see you both then?”

Draco nodded, and she smiled, then turned and left the room.Once she was gone, Draco moved to clean up the table where he’d been reading, and asked, “So, how were your friends?Did you have a good time?”

Harry took the journals from his hands and placed them back on the table.“You’re not really going to sulk on me, are you?” he asked.

“You have no idea what it was like for me here.Lucius kept trying to ambush me.I finally had to hex him and come here to avoid him.”

Harry looked around.“Why?Doesn’t he like your library?”

Draco shrugged.“No, it was more that I think he hadn’t expected I would come here, so he hasn’t looked here yet.”He was silent a moment, examining Harry’s face.“It’s hard to believe I felt your absence so keenly when you were only gone for a couple of hours.”He sighed.“I’m not entirely comfortable with it, to be quite honest.I’m used to being quite self-sufficient, actually.And it rather annoys me to be feeling so maudlin about something so silly.”

Harry smiled softly.“As soon as we sat down to eat, Hermione started quoting me chapter and verse about Veela.She says in the early days of the bond, it’s hard for Veela and their mates to be separated.She was chastising me for not bringing you.Said it was cruel of me.”

Draco snorted.“Trust Granger to stick up for me because of something she read in a book.Dear god.”He rolled his eyes.

“She’s really very sweet.”

“Yes, well…”

Harry sighed, looking at Lucius’s book, which still lay open to a picture of Regulus.“Draco?”

“Hm?” Draco answered absently as he shelved the books he was holding.

“If…if your father was mated to Regulus, why didn’t he die when he…did that to Regulus?”

Draco turned, looking a bit shaken, and Harry moved to his side, pulling him into his arms.Draco took a deep breath and shook him off.“I’m all right, Harry.I…hadn’t really thought about it, to be honest.But knowing father, he ignored the idea of bonding with anyone.He probably refused.Who knows.Anyway, without the bond, he wasn’t in danger of dying.Just like I could become pregnant before we bonded, so could he.But if you had died in the war…”

Harry moved to the book on the table, shutting it and handing it to Draco.“I see.So it’s the bond that does that?”

Draco nodded.“It’s why I wanted you to be sure.”

He turned back to the shelf to finish replacing the books, and as he was doing so, Harry turned to the table, where the memory crystal now lay alone, no books to hide it.

“What’s this?” he asked, picking it up.

“Hm?”Draco turned to see what he was talking about.“Oh.Mother found that for me.It’s a memory crystal.I think father gave it to Regulus.She thought I should have it.”

“What is a memory crystal?”

Draco smiled.“It’s made up of the same materials as Pensieves.But it’s not big enough to hold more than one memory.Couples use them to remember romantic incidents.”

Harry nodded.“So there’s a memory of your father and Regulus in it?”

“Yes.I didn’t let myself watch past the kiss, though.It was a bit much.”

Harry raised an eyebrow.“Kiss, huh?I can see how that would be a bit uncomfortable for you.”

“Yes.Given as how I’ve never seen my father act human in his life until this past week…”

“Never, Draco?” Lucius’s drawling voice came from behind them.

“Father.”He turned to look at him.“I believe I told you I had nothing to say to you at this moment.I do wish you’d stop stalking me.”

Lucius glanced at Harry for a moment, then turned entirely towards his son.“I am aware of that.However, I feel that there are things we still need to discuss.Alone.”

Draco raised his chin, sneering.“Well, I don’t particularly wish to be alone with you.So I’m afraid it will have to wait.”

“Don’t be stupid, boy…” Lucius snarled, grabbing his arm.

Harry’s wand was out in a flash.“Mister Malfoy, I would suggest you let go of my mate right now.I’m sure you recall how well I can use this thing…”

Lucius dropped Draco’s arm, and turned to Harry.“You are interfering in family business, and I would prefer it if you left us alone for just a moment, Potter.”

“How about we both leave you alone, father.I don’t feel the need to talk with you right now.”He picked up the box with the amulet up off the table, and pulled Harry from the room, feeling his father’s burning gaze on him the entire length of the library, grateful when they made their way past the doors and turned down the hallway so the man could no longer see them.


	7. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Malfoy family has many secrets.  But how many will come to light when Draco acts on his wish to claim Harry Potter for his Mate?

**  
**7 ~ Memories**   
**   


After another tense, awkward dinner, Draco and Harry returned to his room and changed.The formal robes that Lucius required even at family meals were a bit too much for an evening meeting with his mother.Dressed in more comfortable attire, they walked together to her suite at the end of the wing.

It was across the hall from Lucius’s rooms, though, which made Draco a bit uncomfortable even heading in that direction.It almost felt as though he were going to see his father.As soon as they reached Narcissa’s sitting room, Draco rapped on the door, hoping the door would open quickly.Better to not stand in the hall long, if he could help it.

She opened the door with a smile, and ushered them both into the room.

The Pensieve sat on the table in between her two settees.It was a beautiful creation that looked as though it were made of pale rose quartz and lined with silver.She settled on one of the settees and gestured for Draco and Harry to do the same.

“I did my best to find pleasant memories for the two of you to see.”She looked slightly worriedly at Harry.“I’m afraid, Harry, that Sirius and I never particularly got on.I always took Regulus’s side.He was so young, and…”

“Please, Mrs. Malfoy, there’s no need to explain.”

She smiled.“Do call me Narcissa, Harry.You’re Draco’s mate.There’s no need to be so formal.We’re family.In several ways now,” she smiled.

“Thank you, Narcissa,” Harry said quietly with a smile.

Draco took his hand.“Are you coming with us, mother?”

She shook her head.“No.I remember them well enough.I don’t need to see them again.I’ll be here waiting when you’re done.There are several memories of each of them, so take as much time as you need, all right?”

Draco nodded, then turned to Harry.“Are you ready for this?”

He squeezed Draco’s hand.“Yeah.Let’s go.”

They reached out their fingers and touched the shimmering liquid in the bowl at the exact same time.There was a lurch, and they seemed to fall into the bowl, through odd twisting darkness, then landed abruptly on their feet in a rather poshly decorated sitting room.

Before they had even looked about, two boys, one obviously at least a year older than the other, came running into the room.“No, you can’t have it!” the younger shrieked, and threw himself behind the settee.

“You little monster!Give it back!It’s mine!Uncle Alphard gave it to me.I want it back!”

“Sirius Black, you quiet your shouting right this instant!” came a voice that was to Harry, extraordinarily familiar.

“We’re in Grimmauld Place,” he told Draco with a startled look on his face.

“Where?”

“It’s the Black family home.This is where Sirius grew up.”

Draco stared at him, surprised.“But you recognize it?”

Harry nodded.“Yes.The Order used it during Sirius’s last year alive as a kind of safe-house.But it didn’t look like this then.”

Sirius’s mother came into the room.“Narcissa, would you please help me with your cousins?They’re driving me mad, and I would really like to talk to your mother before she has to leave.”Her tone was annoyed, and she glowered at the two boys, who looked only slightly abashed at her anger.Harry and Draco turned to see that Narcissa had been sitting in the corner reading a book, and trying desperately to ignore the noise.

She stood up and nodded, then waved to the younger of the two boys.“Of course, aunt Augustine.Regulus, come here.”She was only slightly older than Sirius, but she looked old enough to be attending Hogwarts.

“Thank you, dear.I’m sure you, at least, of your sisters will make a good marriage.”

“Thank you, aunt Augustine,” she smiled primly until her aunt was out of the room.She turned to Regulus, who was now clinging to her side, trying to avoid Sirius’s glares.“What did you take?” she asked him.

Sirius shouted, “He took my…”

She shot a look at Sirius.“Be quiet.I didn’t ask you.”She turned back to Regulus.“What is it?”

“It’s just a bag of sweets.But he never shares, Cissa!I just wanted one.And when he caught me, I ran for it.”He looked abashed for a moment, then looked up at her with pleading eyes.“He should share, shouldn’t he?”

“Yes, Regulus, you’re right.He should.”She turned to Sirius.“Can’t he have just one, Sirius?”

Sirius scowled, then looked at the floor, scuffing his shoe on the carpet.“Fine.But just one.Uncle Alphard gave the bag of sweets to me.Regulus got his own present.I don’t see why I should have to share mine…”

Regulus settled down onto the carpet and dug into the bag greedily, and Harry couldn’t help but shoot a look at Draco, who flushed, but couldn’t help smiling.“At least I come by it honestly,” he said.

Harry laughed, and watched as Regulus pulled out a bright green toffee, and Sirius snatched the bag from his lap.“Next time, get your own,” he grumbled as he left the room.

The scene faded, to be replaced by a very familiar train station.Platform Nine and Three Quarters.Narcissa was holding onto an over-eager Sirius and a sullen Bellatrix.

Augustine Black stood glaring down at Sirius, her hand restraining Regulus, who seemed fascinated by the older children crowding the station around him.“I’m sure you’ll already have your hands full with your sister, dear, but I do appreciate you looking after Sirius as well.He’s such a problem child.I don’t know what we’re to do with him.If he gives you any trouble this year, do let me know.Slytherin house has enough problems as it is with that fool Dumbledore running the school now.It hardly needs a miscreant like my son causing more.”

“I’m sure we’ll be just fine, Aunt Augustine,” Narcissa smiled calmly.“We should get onto the train before it’s too late.I’ll write you tonight to let you know how the sorting went.”

Augustine snorted.“With our luck, the boy will be sorted into Hufflepuff.”

Narcissa hid a smirk.“Oh, I don’t quite think he’s Hufflepuff material, aunt Augustine.We’ll see you at Christmas holidays, then.”

“Yes, good-bye, dear.”

“Good-bye, Regulus,” she smiled at him.

“Bye, Cissa!” he grinned.

Augustine chastised her youngest son for using such a ‘vulgar nickname’ while the older trio of Black children made their way onto the train and Harry and Draco followed them.

Sirius was arguing with Narcissa.“I don’t want to sit with a bunch of dumb girls,” he was saying with a glower.

“Sirius, your mother asked me to watch you until we made it to Hogwarts, and I intend to do just that.”

“But how will I make any friends if you’re constantly hanging about?I want to go meet the other first years!”

“Sirius Black, if you want to get into trouble already, don’t ask me to help.You can meet the other first years tonight at the banquet.For now, you will sit with me in my compartment, and you will be a proper Black and be kind and courteous to all my friends.Do we understand each other?”

Sirius was about to tell her off when he was bumped from behind.“Oops, sorry, mate,” a very familiar voice came from behind him.Harry looked on in astonishment as a very familiar head of hair popped out from behind a large trunk.

“Harry,” Draco said slowly, “is that…?”

“My dad!I hadn’t even considered that he’d be here, too.”A grin spread across his face.“Remind me to kiss your mum when we’re done.”

Draco grinned at him, and they watched as the two boys proceeded to argue about the trunk, and Narcissa grudgingly gave her permission to Sirius to help the other boy with his trunk…once she’d discovered he was a Potter, and therefore a pureblood.

The scene faded again, and when it reformed around them once more, they were standing in the Great Hall at Hogwarts.And the sorting had just started.Sirius was already on the stool, and when the hat called “Gryffindor,” the whole hall seemed to hold its breath.Sirius took the hat of his head, and pale and shocked-looking, moved slowly away from the stool towards the Gryffindor table, glancing over at Narcissa from time to time.Bellatrix, who had obviously already been sorted, was whispering in her sister’s ear, and looking menacingly at her cousin.Sirius slumped into an empty seat, and everyone around him at the table moved away one chair.

The sorting continued, and Draco was about to wonder out loud why the memory hadn’t changed when the “Lily Evans” was called.Draco looked at her, and realized who she was in a moment.“Oh.Mum is good, isn’t she?” he smiled softly.

Harry nodded, unable to speak, his eyes wide as he scanned the remaining first years for two more familiar faces.

They watched as Neville’s parents were sorted as well. Alice Foster, who would someday become Alice Longbottom, was sorted into Gryffindor immediately after Lily, and the two settled as far from Sirius as they could.Frank was sorted into Gryffindor only moments before another familiar face was called to sit on the stool.Harry and Draco watched as Remus squirmed under the hat, then hurried to Sirius’s side when the hat declared him a Gryffindor.Harry couldn’t help smiling at that.

He waited on tenterhooks for one final name, and was horrified when another child with a P name came before his father.He glowered at Peter as he was sorted, and did his best to forget about him when his father was called up to the stool.It was no surprise to Harry that it was only a moment before the hat declared him a Gryffindor, and he went and sat down right next to Sirius, grinning.

The memory shifted after that, and Draco sighed.“Oh, well, I had hoped to see Severus sorted as well, but I suppose _that_ one was really for you, anyway…”

Harry smiled.“I’m sure if you ask her, she could show you that as well.”

“Nah, not necessary.”

Apparently Narcissa had decided that one sorting was more than enough, for the next memory was of a much older Sirius and Regulus.They were arguing again as they entered a school classroom.

“…Shaming the entire family!” Regulus was shouting at his brother.

“Oh, do shut up, Reg,” Sirius groaned.“You sound like mumsy dear.”

Narcissa, came into the classroom where they were arguing, scowling.“Regulus is right, Sirius.Picking on the poor boy that way.One would think you weren’t a Black, but a bully.I should never have let you spend any time with that James Potter.He seems to encourage the worst in you.”

Sirius rolled his eyes.“Dear god, save me from this family.At least James knows how to enjoy himself.Our family seems to be filled with stuffed shirts who think having a good time is against the laws of nature!”With that he stormed from the room, and the two Slytherins were left looking after him with annoyance.

“Regulus.Why do you even bother with him?He’s not worth your time, you know.”

Regulus sighed.“I can’t help it, Cissa.He’s my brother.We never got along, but I can’t help but want to try.”

Narcissa smiled at the younger boy.“What are you going to do with me gone next year?You won’t have me to back you up any longer.And you don’t have a chance of being a prefect for at least another year.That friend of his—Lupin, is it?If he gives you any trouble…”

“Oh, Lupin’s all right.When Sirius isn’t around, at any rate.I’ll be fine,” he smiled.

The scene shifted once more, and Regulus hurried into a small sitting room where Narcissa was pouring over a book.

“Cissa, why didn’t you tell me about him sooner?I wish that I’d been able to spend time with him while he was still at Hogwarts.He’s amazing.”

“Regulus, who are you talking about?” she asked him, puzzled.

“Lucius Malfoy,” he said with a beatific smile on his face.

“Malfoy?How on earth did you meet him, Regulus?”

“Well, you know Sirius ran off this summer, right?”Narcissa nodded.“Well, mother and father wanted me out of the house while they tried to deal with him, so father asked Mister Malfoy if he’d be willing to take me for the summer.Apparently they were good friends in school.”

“So you spent the summer with him?Did he ignore you the entire time?” she asked with a slight smile on her face.

Regulus looked at her, startled.“No.What makes you say that, Narcissa?He was wonderful.We had the best conversations…”He trailed off, a happy look on his face.

Narcissa sighed.“Regulus, tell me you didn’t let him…”

Regulus looked at her, confused.“Let him do what?”

She swallowed.“Lucius was notorious in Slytherin house for the way he went through younger boys.He likes to use people, Regulus.Tell me he didn’t seduce you.”

Regulus laughed.“Seduce me?Where on earth did you get the idea that he was that way, Cissa?We’re friends, that’s all.”

Narcissa sighed.“Lucius Malfoy is friends with no one, Regulus.If he does something, it’s only for his own benefit.Please tell me you’ll be cautious around him?”

Regulus rolled his eyes.“Oh, please, Narcissa, you act like I’m still five, and Sirius just accused me of something.I can take care of myself.And I’m more than a match for Lucius Malfoy,” he grinned.

Narcissa sighed, then smiled softly.“Just promise me you’ll be careful, Regulus.”

Regulus grinned.“I promise.”

Harry glanced at Draco, who was watching Regulus with a horrified look.“Draco?”

Draco swallowed and turned to him.“I want to scream at him to run the other way.”He looked pale, and Harry drew him into his arms.

“I understand, believe me.”He couldn’t help but remember Peter settling into the Gryffindor table next to Sirius, an eager look on his face.

The scene changed around them once more, and Draco recognized the room as a drawing room just off the hallway from the Manor’s ball room.Lucius was holding Regulus tightly against him, and they were kissing.And this kiss was far more passionate than the one he had seen in the memory crystal.He looked away, flushing just in time to see Narcissa enter the room.“What on earth do the two of you think you are doing?” she hissed.

Lucius turned his head casually to look at her as though she had just interrupted a simple conversation.“Ah, Narcissa.How lovely to see you,” he murmured.

Regulus flushed, but did not pull from Lucius’s embrace.“Hello, Narcissa.”

“Regulus, you told me that he hadn’t seduced you.Tell me this isn’t what it looks like.”

Regulus’s flush deepened, but in anger now.“And what if it is?I care for him.”

Narcissa took him by the arm and dragged him away from Lucius. “Regulus, do you want to be disowned like Sirius?If your mother found out…”

Lucius’s drawl interrupted her.“She’d keep quiet, if she knows what’s good for her.”He smirked when Narcissa turned to look at him.“I’m the best thing that ever happened to her son.She won’t be able to deny it.”

Narcissa glowered at him for a moment, then turned back to Regulus.“Your mother is looking for you right now.Do you want her to see you kissing another man?”

Regulus’s lips thinned, but he shook his head.

“Go see what she wants.I’m sure Lucius will wait,” she said, shooting a pointed look at the older man, who was now looking at her coldly.

Regulus scowled at her for a moment, then turned to Lucius, who nodded.“She’s right, Regulus.It wouldn’t do to be caught by your mother.Go see what she wants.I promise to be here when you return.”

Regulus smiled at him, then, avoiding Narcissa’s gaze, left the room. As soon as he was gone, Narcissa turned on Lucius.“I will not let you use Regulus that way, Lucius.I remember the trail of broken hearts you left when you were still at Hogwarts.He’s young, and he doesn’t know you the way I do.Leave him alone.Tell him your father found out and you have to break it off.Tell him anything, just leave him alone.”

Lucius was silent for a while, just watching the fury grow on Narcissa’s face before he finally spoke.“I have no intention of ‘using’ Regulus, as you put it.Surely you don’t think me the same boy who attended Hogwarts?I’ve grown up a great deal since then.And I happen to find Regulus quite fascinating.I will not chase him away now.I’m rather fond of him, to be honest.”His eyes narrowed then, and he moved to her side so quickly that she had no time to pull away.“And if you intend to try to stop me from spending time with him, Narcissa, I think you will find that you are the one who discovers that you are completely mistaken about me.And you will pay if something happens to separate us.”

The scene shifted there, and Harry found himself holding a shaking Draco.“I hate him,” Draco moaned through clenched teeth.“Mother was right.Regulus should have had nothing to do with him.”Harry did his best to calm Draco, but he couldn’t help but agree.

When the next scene coalesced around them, Harry recognized the room where Regulus had spoken to Narcissa about his summer with Lucius.Narcissa was once again sitting and reading, and once again, Regulus entered the room.But this was a much more subdued Regulus than they had seen so far. He looked solemn and worried.

“Narcissa, your mother said I might find you here.”

She looked up smiling, but when she saw the drawn look on his face, she rose to her feet instantly.“Regulus, what is it?”

He settled himself next to Narcissa before speaking.“I think I’ve made a terrible mistake, Narcissa.”

Her eyes flashed.“Is it Lucius?I told you he would only hurt you,” she scowled.

“No, not Lucius.”He sighed heavily.“Not exactly.He encouraged me to join the Dark Lord…”Narcissa’s eyes went large, but she said nothing.“I…I need to find a way out.Sirius was right.He’s a madman.I’ve been trying to convince Lucius to leave with me, but he won’t hear of it, Cissa.”He took her hands.“You have to help me.I’m not ready to loose all this yet.”He gulped, and said in a quiet voice, “I’m not ready to die.”

Narcissa closed her eyes and pulled him into an embrace.“We’ll figure out something, Regulus, I promise.”

By this time, Draco’s hand was nearly cutting all the circulation from Harry’s hand, and all Harry could do was hold him.Whispering stupid platitudes that others had said to him about his own parents wouldn’t make things better.He could only be there for Draco.

The scene changed again, and Narcissa was standing in the same room as the previous scene, but she was pacing nervously.And the man who entered the room was not Regulus.It was Lucius.

But this was a Lucius even Draco had never seen before. He was pale, and looked as though he’d lost everything in the world.Draco wanted to snarl that the man had no right, when Lucius moved to Narcissa’s side, and sank to her feet.“Oh, god, Narcissa, what have I done?”

Narcissa was as still as though she were made of marble for a long time before she finally managed to find her voice.“He’s dead, then?” she managed in a hollow tone.

Lucius began to sob, and Draco watched horrified as his father fell entirely apart.Narcissa simply waited for the sobs to abate before leading him to the couch.“Tell me everything, Lucius.Tell me how my cousin died.”

“Narcissa, you don’t understand…”

She slapped him.“Don’t you tell me what I don’t understand, Lucius.He was a boy. And when your master told you to dispose of him, you did.And if it tears you apart, that’s your own fault.Don’t ask me to feel sorry for you, you cold-blooded coward,” she snarled.

Pale, silvery-blue eyes watched her before he nodded.“It was a test.Of my loyalty.Narcissa, had I not, I would be dead too.It would not have saved him.You must understand that.”She scowled at him, and he closed his eyes, as if by doing so, that would make the telling easier.“He was asleep, Narcissa.He never felt a thing.I could never have caused him pain…”

Draco shuddered at his father’s admission.

“But apparently you could kill him?” she asked bitterly.

The look on Lucius’s face spoke louder than words.His eyes shut tight against them as if that could prevent them from being true.“Please,” he said quietly, and Draco’s eyes were now wide in shock, for he’d never heard his father use the word before, even in scorn, “please, Narcissa…”His eyes opened suddenly, and the callous retort seemed to die unspoken on Narcissa’s lips.

“What?What can I do for the man who killed my cousin?Do you want me to turn you over to the Aurors?”

“No,” Lucius whispered.“I…I need a wife.”

Narcissa looked at him in shock and horror before rising to her feet.“I think you need to leave, Lucius.Before I make sure you join Regulus in whatever hell you’ve consigned him to for following you.For ever having the misfortune of falling in love with a…”

Lucius grabbed her before she could finish.“I know, Narcissa.And you’re right.But there’s something you don’t understand.Something I didn’t even understand until a few hours ago.”He licked his lips.“I…I never realized just how much he had come to mean to me, Narcissa.I didn’t realize until I read my journal this morning.”

Narcissa’s lips thinned.“And what was in your journal this morning that suddenly changed your mind?”

Lucius took a deep breath.“I’m carrying his child.”

Narcissa’s brow creased.“What on earth do you mean by that, Lucius?You’re male.That’s not possible.”

“I’m a Veela, Narcissa.Part Veela, at any rate.Mother’s mother.Father didn’t know when he married her.Apparently, I…loved him.Veela males don’t…can’t…we’re like all other men in most respects, but if we’ve chosen a partner, our bodies change.And if we sleep with that partner…”

Narcissa swallowed.“You’re carrying Regulus’s child?”

“His son.My son.But he needs a mother, Narcissa.”

By this point, Draco couldn’t listen any longer. “Get me out of here…”He clung to Harry as Harry pulled them from the Pensieve, and when they collapsed on the settee in Narcissa’s sitting room, Draco’s face was tear-streaked. He shuddered against Harry’s chest for several minutes, not daring to look around.With that last memory, he was sure he knew what his mother had been planning when she’d offered this.But he wasn’t sure he was ready to forgive his father so easily.

“Harry, I think it would be best…” Narcissa’s soft voice came from the other settee.

“No.”Draco said.He looked up and met her eyes, then looked behind her where Lucius stood near her fireplace.“I think it might as well be now.Father?”He stood, and Lucius nodded to him.“Shall we go across the hall, then?”


	8. Mending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Malfoy family has many secrets.  But how many will come to light when Draco acts on his wish to claim Harry Potter for his Mate?

  
**8 ~ Mending**   
  


They crossed the hall in total silence.Draco wasn’t sure he would be able to speak.At least Harry hadn’t made a fuss.Draco looked around the room once they’d entered.He’d never spent much time here, usually talking to his father in his study when they needed to be alone.The room was wood-paneled, and filled with dark wood furniture upholstered in deep gold.It should have felt warm, but Draco couldn’t help but shiver. He turned to his father, waiting for Lucius to speak.

Lucius looked at him for a long time, and for the first time, Draco could see the uncertainty on his face. Tears in the Pensieve, and now uncertainty.Who was this man?He certainly wasn’t the man who’d raised him.

Finally, Lucius took a deep breath, and spoke quietly into the stillness of the room.“I realize that what I’ve done is unforgivable, Draco.I don’t deserve understanding, but I want you to know—I had no choice.And beyond anything else, I do not regret your life.”

“But when you killed him…”

“I didn’t know.I am aware of how my belated understanding condemns me.But it doesn’t change the fact that you would not be here now if I had.I would have been the next to die, regardless.Regulus…”

Draco looked at Lucius with new eyes.He recalled many times during his time at Hogwarts when he’d hated Harry as much as he’d wanted him.When, had Lucius asked, he would have helped capture him for the Dark Lord.Was he really so different from his father?“If you don’t want forgiveness, or understanding, then what do you want, Lucius?”

Lucius looked away from him and crossed the room.“I want you to know that I have done everything since his death for you.To make sure you reached this point.To give you the chances he never had.To find some slight way to repay him for what he lost.For what I took.”He turned and looked directly into Draco’s disbelieving eyes.“I never understood that I loved him, Draco.I wasn’t stupid enough to make that mistake twice.Or so I thought.You have been my only reason for existing for so long now…I had almost forgotten him.”

Draco laughed sadly.“So, I should forgive you because I’m your son?”

“No.”He turned to his sideboard, where a scroll lay.“I should have listened to you.Snape and Narcissa both said so.But I’ve been hiding from this for so long…”He picked it up, and brought it back to where Draco still stood just inside the door.“Read it,” he said quietly as he handed it to him.

Draco unrolled it, recognizing it as the marriage contract once he had.“And why does this make anything different, Lucius? It hasn’t been changed.”

“I’ve asked Arland to come for a meeting tomorrow, Draco.I would like you to trust me.For once.I realize I have given you no reason to do so, but believe me, after he leaves tomorrow, you will understand.And no matter what, I promise that you will not have to marry his daughter.I can do that, at the very least.”

“How?You said it yourself, the contract is unbreakable.”

Lucius’s mouth quirked into something not unlike a smile for a moment.“Arland is a clever man, Draco.But a Malfoy always has a way out.”

Draco sneered down at the parchment.“I see none, father.You said yourself there was no way out.”

“I was…less than pleased by your choice, at the time.I’d forgotten what it was like…”He swallowed.“Trust me.Tomorrow it will all be over.And if you find yourself unhappy with the outcome…”

“You’ll marry the chit yourself?” Draco smirked.

Lucius smiled.“Better still, I’ll buy the chit off.Go get some rest.And tell Mister Potter that I in no way harmed you.He was looking at me as though he would rend me limb from limb when we left.”

***

The meeting the next day was awkward and overly formal.Draco and Harry sat close together while Arland and Pansy sat opposite them, glowering.Lucius did his best to offer pleasantries, but Arland seemed in no mood to be polite.

“Get on with it, Malfoy. What did you want?”

Lucius sipped his tea, then set it down, meeting the other man’s eyes directly. “I simply wished to know if you still intended to push on the matter of this contract, Parkinson.”

“Of course I do.I have every right.Either to expect your son to marry Pansy, and I assure you, Draco, you will not be allowed to have that…” he gestured at Harry, “in my daughter’s house if you are married to her...”He turned back to Lucius.“Or, I expect you and your family to vacate the premises, as that would mean they now belonged to us,” he smiled cruelly at Lucius.

Lucius sighed as though Arland had done no more than offer his regrets in the matter.“Ah, but you see, Parkinson, Draco’s not interested in your daughter, and I find that this…avariciousness of yours has gotten old.I don’t think we’ll be having a marriage between our families.Not any time soon, at any rate.”

Arland stood, and pulled Pansy to her feet.“Then we have no more to discuss, Malfoy.I assume you will be gone in a week?”

Lucius laughed.“Why would you assume that, Parkinson?I simply said we would not be having a marriage any time soon.I do think you’ll find that I’m perfectly within my rights to do so.”

“And,” Arland said in a smug voice, “if you pull out of the contract, your Manor is mine, I believe.”

“Oh, but I haven’t withdrawn from the contract, Parkinson.In fact, I think you will find if you read it, that Draco no longer fulfills the terms of the contract, therefore, Pansy can’t marry him.”

Draco looked at his father, startled, but kept quiet.Whatever Lucius was up to, it was best to let him keep going.

Arland was scowling.“And what does that mean, Malfoy?It clearly states that Pansy here will marry the Malfoy heir when both have finished with their schooling at Hogwarts.Are you telling me the boy has yet to finish his schooling?”

Lucius grinned, and Draco could feel his brain trying desperately to work out the riddle that his father had created.How could he possibly back out of such precise wording?“Ah, but the thing you do not understand, Arland, is that my son is no longer the Malfoy heir.As of yesterday evening, all the Malfoy monies reserved for the heir were put into an account for my grandson.”

Draco and Harry shot each other a look, but remained silent.Arland Parkinson, on the other hand, looked livid.“Your grandson?What sort of mental difficulty is this, Lucius?You don’t have a grandson.”

Lucius nodded.“Well, granted, he isn’t born yet, but I assure you, Parkinson, he will be.You see, Draco here is carrying him.And I don’t know if you know much about Veela pairings, but in the case of male-male pairings, the chance is three out of four that it will be a boy.”

“Are you telling me, Malfoy, that you have named…a…a zygote your heir to release Draco from this contract?”

“Well, not so much a zygote as an embryo.”He turned to Pansy, smiling.“I think the choice is yours, now, my dear.You can wait until Harry and Draco’s child comes of age…or I could offer you a little wedding present.On the day you marry someone else, I will present you with a house as a gift,” he smiled.

“You mean,” she snarled in a choked voice, “that I have two choices.Wait twenty years for their brat, or marry someone else, right?”

“Smart girl you have there, Parkinson,” Lucius smiled.

Arland went scarlet at this.“You’ll pay for this, Malfoy,” he snarled through clenched teeth.“I’m going straight to my solicitors.Don’t think you can get away with this.”

Lucius stood, and for once, his smile was gone.“I think you’ll find that I can, Parkinson.There was nothing in the contract mentioning Draco’s name at the time.Therefore, it applies only to whomever is my heir.And he has not been born at this present time, so he certainly cannot have finished Hogwarts.”

Arland was livid, but there was nothing he could say to dispute this, so he turned stiffly to his daughter.“Come, Pansy.I think it’s time we left.”

She got to her feet, but shook her head.“I’m not quite done yet, father.She moved to where Harry and Draco were seated.“I bet you both think this is a fun little joke you’ve played.I hope someday you find out just how much you’ve lost for doing this to me.” She scowled at them for a moment, then turned to Lucius.“I assume that you will be returning our manor to me upon my marriage?” she asked him calmly.

Lucius inclined his head.“Of course.”

“Good.It may not be Malfoy Manor, but it is my home.”Her chin went up, and she turned back to her father.“I’m ready to leave now,” she said regally.

Arland nodded, and took his daughter’s arm.Draco watched them go, a bit astonished. He had expected a much bigger fight on their hands.When they were out of sight, he turned to his father.“I’m no longer the Malfoy heir?”

Lucius smiled. “No.I’d say you’ve grown past that, Draco.I had the paperwork drawn up in the last few days. I hope you don’t mind,” he said, raising an eyebrow.“Of course, it means that you will have to vacate the heir’s rooms.”He was silent for a moment, and Draco felt Harry’s anger building at what Lucius was saying, but he squeezed his hand to restrain him.Whatever else, he was sure Lucius wouldn’t simply abandon him.

“And where will Harry and I go, father?” he asked as calmly as possible.

Lucius brushed a speck of dust from his robes, avoiding his son’s eyes.“I’ve had your grandmother’s suite aired out.The elves are moving your furniture as we speak.Your allowance has been increased as well.I’ve set up an account under your name at Gringotts…”

“Father…”Draco was astounded.Grandmother Leena’s suite was second only to Lucius’s in size.“You did this for me?”

Lucius sighed.“There is hardly need for astonishment, Draco.You are my son.Even if you are no longer legally my heir.” he asked blandly.

Draco stood and moved to his father’s side.“Thank you.”

Lucius looked at him solemnly, then nodded stiffly.“I cannot change what has happened.I will simply do what I can to make sure that you have what he would have wanted for you.”

Draco took a deep breath to calm the roiling feelings inside him, lost for words.

Lucius sensed his hesitance.“Perhaps you and Harry should go make sure the house-elves haven’t made any blunders in moving your things.We wouldn’t want there to be any problems, now, would we?”

Harry looked at Lucius for a moment before moving to Draco’s side.The look on his face was cautious—Draco wasn’t sure he’d ever truly forgive the man for some of the things he had done both before and during the war—but there seemed to be a willingness to deal with Lucius in Harry’s eyes that simply hadn’t been there when speaking with him before.“No, sir, we wouldn’t want that.”

Lucius looked at the young man his son had chosen, and Draco couldn’t help but want to stand between them, sure they would come to blows with the way each measured the other.Then Lucius shook his head, smiling slightly.“We’re all family here, Mister—“He stopped mid-sentence and corrected himself.“Harry.Do call me Lucius.”

Harry nodded once.“Lucius.”He turned to Draco.Shall we?”

Draco smiled.It wasn’t perfect.But things were better than he’d ever imagined they’d get.And with time, there was no telling what might happen.

Fin


End file.
